Tearing down the barriers
by x-jooles-x
Summary: Lee is a new student at an all boys' school. Gaara is the bhitter guy that doesn't care about anyone and forbids anyone from knowing his past. Lee wants to know the darkest truths about Gaara. He is determined to make gaara his. even if it kills him.
1. Chapter 1Fate determined

**Authors' note**: Hey guys! Well this is my first ever GaaraxLee story. I've had to do so much revising and editing, but now I'm sure it's fine! Warning: there's going to be smut. And lots of it. Male on male etc. you get it. So anyway, review if you read please!

---------------------------------- Fate determined: Chapter one ------------------------------------------------

Lee looked up at the tall building; it looked dark and sort of gloomy to him. He had just transferred from his public school to this extravagant, sophisticated private one.

He looked around at all the students, their eyes questioning why someone like him would attend Riinaitsu high school.

He looked towards the cluster of tall trees; the sun's heat was scorching him. He strode over towards one of the thickest trees and sat down. He opened his book bag and took out his lunch. "Hey fish eyes! You thinkin' of eatin' that?" asked a rude voice.

Lee looked up and saw a tall boy sneering down at him. Lee glared up at him, hating him from this very moment on. "Yeah I am" he said defiantly. This seemed to bother the boy, for his bushy eye brows furrowed deeply, making him resemble an old lion.

"Give it to me and I won't break your fingers!" he said loudly, enough for a few students to hear. The students surrounded lee and the tall boy. One boy, a fiery red head, stood in the shadows, glaring at the tall boy while others looked on in admiration.

"Hey Hojji, back off from him. Go scrounge up some sewer rats and cook 'em" said the boy loudly, his voice challenging. The tall boy turned quickly, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits of anger. "Shut up! No one listens to pouty little shits like you! Especially if you're new around here!" he said, turning back to Lee.

"Give me your lunch dweeb!" he said angrily, getting impatient with the defiance he was getting from both boys. Lee glared at him and then sneered slightly as he opened his mouth, looking down at his sandwich as if contemplating whether to eat it or not.

"Nah, rather eat it….You look like you've had too many lunches anyways. Got a gut going on there? Better tell mommy to stop packing your leftovers" he said, his voice snide. Lee was being out of character, but he would rather act like a smart ass right now then a cocky little kid.

The tall boy bent down and gripped Lee's hair hard. He yanked him up, making Lee hiss in pain. The boy held him up to his face, his gross breath suffocating Lee. "You want to say that again you little puke?" he said menacingly.

He threw Lee back on the ground and punched him hard in the face. Lee felt his cheek swell. "You hit like a little school girl….well maybe you are a little school girl, can't tell just yet." his voice was louder now.

He drop kicked the boy to the ground and stood up and started to walk away. The tall boy got up quickly and ran towards lee.

Lee, not wanting to risk his new school record (His old one was at least four pages long from fighting) stood there, waiting for the blow.

The tall boy gave a few blows to Lee's face before someone pulled him off of Lee. Lee opened one eye, the other swelled shut.

He looked around to see who had done it but saw only one person in the middle of the thick circle of students.

It was the fiery red head, the boy who had stuck up for him before. "Leave him alone, he's new. And if you haven't realized by now the kid isn't going to give you his lunch Hojji" he was quite blunt when he said this.

Lee was surprised at how deep the boy's voice was because the boy was quite smaller then Lee was, and had a more feminine look to him.

Once the circle had separated, since this was the queue to leave, Lee stood up and brushed the dirt and leaves from his uniform.

He looked around and saw that the red haired boy had left. Lee sighed and dropped to the ground again, picking his lunch up and eating it. If he saw the boy again, he'd make sure to thank him.

-00-

Gaara made his way up the marble steps to the school, sick of the annoying boys. His thoughts wandered to the new one, the one with the dark black hair and big fish like eyes.

He didn't know why he had stuck up for him; hell he didn't even like the kid. He thought he seemed the type that would pick a fight anytime and anywhere, and Gaara couldn't stand people like that (Ironically, most of his friends were exactly like this).

He opened the heavy wooden door with little effort. The door closed behind him with a muffled thud, blocking out the early fall sunlight.

The hall was dull; there was no sign of any encouraging or positive colors. Gaara glared around, staring at the place with distaste.

He spotted a tall blonde haired boy, they didn't talk a lot but the boy was Gaara's friend. Naruto Uzumaki was idiotically grinning as he made the two students standing beside him start a conversation.

Though Gaara was often annoyed of Naruto, he still admired him for his idiot ways of making friends and being confident.

Naruto was totally annoying and totally reliable to put anyone in a good mood. Gaara made his way over to Naruto, giving a little wave to the two students, Chouji and Shino.

"Hey…" Gaara mumbled quietly. Naruto turned, the grin still pasted on his face.

"Oh hey Gaara, what's up?" he asked, his voice bouncy and warm. Gaara shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, alright I guess" he replied with an expression of boredom.

"Hey Naruto" said a voice behind Gaara. Gaara turned and saw Sasuke Uchiha. He flinched slightly as Sasuke pushed him out of the way.

"Naruto what are you doing?" Sasuke asked Naruto suspiciously, glancing towards Gaara. Naruto's eyes widened.

"N-nothing" came his lame reply. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Yeah? Sure doesn't seem like it but we need to talk…." Sasuke muttered furiously as he grabbed Naruto's wrist and dragged him away. Choji, Shino, and Gaara shrugged their shoulders. "In a fight again are they? They should make up their minds if they wanna stay together or not.

I'm pretty sure other guys around here would be ecstatic if they broke up…" mumbled Shino. Gaara nodded.

"Yeah…well I'm going to go outside again. It's too fucking depressing in this hallway" he said as he looked around again. Gaara made his way down the hallway and pulled the door open and walked out, the sun blinding him.

The heat was killing him so he walked over to the small cluster of trees, he remembered that this was the place where Hojji had tried to take the new boy's lunch.

Gaara looked around, it was seemingly empty. None of the students sat beneath the trees, so he picked the biggest one, right next to the trickling brook and sat down.

He spread his arms out, his fingers spread open to let the fresh grass caress them with the cold yet welcoming dew. He grasped the grass tightly, feeling the cold dew run down his fingers.

His hand touched something warm and soft, he looked down and saw another hand on the other side of the tree. "Ehh, your hand is cold, get it off of mine!" said a voice loudly.

Gaara leaned outwards, he got a good look at the boy on the other side of the tree. "Oh..you're the guy that tried to fight Hojji right?" He asked slowly, uncertain if he should bother the half asleep boy. The black haired boy turned to face Gaara, his eyes searching Gaara's with a quizzical stare that made Gaara waver.

"Yeah…and you're the one that kind of stood up for me…right?" The boy asked slowly. Gaara nodded and gave him a kind of small smirk. Lee smiled. "I'm Rock Lee. But you can call me Lee if you want" he said, holding out his hand for Gaara to shake it.

Gaara glared at him. "Did I say I wanted to know your name? You're pathetic. You can't even stick up for yourself, I had to, and I'm much smaller than you." He kept on glaring at Lee, wondering why he even bothered talking to him.

"I don't want a record. at my old school…well I had a long list" Lee told him as he fidgeted with the grass. Gaara sneered at him. "Yeah, doesn't mean you're strong.

You probably lost most of them, being weak and pathetic. If you EVER get in my way or stand between something I want, I'll kill you." Gaara simply told him the straight truth, he did not want anything to do with Lee, and he didn't even want to recognize him.

Lee got up and walked past him in a quick fashion that cleared told Gaara he had agitated Lee.

-00-

He slowly stood, picking up his bag and his homework he had been working on. He started to walk away when he decided to turn around. He looked at the tree with slight curiosity. His eyes lay upon the sleeping boy.

"It's that guy. The guy that stuck up for me…" he quietly told himself with disbelief. "He'll be late if he doesn't wake up" so Gaara walked over and gently nudged the boy with his foot. The sleeping boy's arm shot out, grabbing lees foot and twisting it harshly.

Gaara cried out in pain and kicked the boy's arm with his other foot. Lee got up and glared at Gaara. "Don't touch me" he growled and picked up his stuff and left.

Gaara looked at his paper to see what class he had. He had geography first. "Great" he muttered as he made his way to his class. He walked into the classroom; this room was actually brilliantly white and colorful. He felt the corners of his mouth twitch but stopped it.

There was one seat left, and it was the one behind the boy that had attacked him. "Fuck" he swore under his breath as he walked down the aisle, watching the glances of the perverted boys' eyes follow him.

He gritted his teeth just so he wouldn't attack them all. He sat down gingerly and took out his textbook and his writing book. A tap on the shoulder made him jump a little. "What?!" he said impatiently as he bent down to pick up his textbook. He turned around and glared into the boy's fishy eyes. "What the hell do you want? You attack me after I save your pitiful ass and then you annoy me by tapping my shoulder constantly!" he said angrily.

The boy frowned and shrugged. "I dunno, I just wanted to thank you for saving my pitiful ass and I didn't attack you" he simply told Gaara this as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "But it's okay if you want to admit that I'm a good fighter" he said with a smug smile on his face.

Gaara almost snapped, he couldn't stand people that tried to say they were better then him. He hated it. "Shut up, you wouldn't have lasted a second with Hojji" Gaara sneered at Lee before turning around. The teacher strode in quickly and closed the door. "Okay boys, get your chemist sets out!" said the young teacher brightly.

She had long brown hair and looked slightly Americanized. Her eyes were also brown, but giving her an exotic look anyways. Gaara took out a pen and started to copy down the notes, the teacher babbling on about physics and how sand turned to glass.

He already knew this stuff, he was from the sand village, did they think he was slow or something? Honestly. Gaara shook his head, thinking of other things such as the boy behind him. 'He's so stupid and cocky. I just want to turn around and crush his face in' he growled to himself in his mind. He felt a sharp jab in his back; he knew it was that annoying kid. "What?!" he hissed from the corner of his mouth.

He didn't turn around, just in case the teacher was watching. Lee's voice sounded awkward when he spoke, "What's your name?" he asked, still rotating the sharp pencil on Gaara's back. "Gaara, now leave me alone and stop poking my damn back!" he turned his head and went back to work.

Soon the bell rang, time for a break. All the students filed out of the door slowly, giving the teacher a satisfactory feeling.

Gaara looked over his shoulder at Lee, who was staring at a peculiar poster. Lee turned, sensing Gaara's eye on him. "So your name is Gaara huh?" he asked softly, his voice Husky, soft and sultry, sort of like a perverted old lady. Gaara nodded awkwardly and gave a slight grunt.

Lee smiled. Gaara, feeling a slight sense of pity, decided to introduce Lee to Naruto Shino and Choji and of course…Sasuke. Gaara let out a deep sigh. "Uh, I guess since you know, you have no friends…I guess I can introduce you to mine. Come with me and you can meet the guys" he said, grabbing lee's hand.

Gaara stopped abruptly. He let go of Lee's hand as if he were scalded by hot water. "Err. Just follow me" he mumbled. Lee smirked and followed Gaara as directed. They walked out the class door and into the flowing hallway. Students slammed lockers and chatted with their neighbors.

Gaara glanced at Lee from the corner of his eye. "Hurry up" he said flatly as he sped ahead. He spotted Naruto and the others at their lockers.

"Hey" he mumbled quietly, his voice muffled by his lips that barely parted. The others and Naruto stared past Gaara and to Lee. "Who's that?" asked Naruto with a wide grin.

He was always looking for a new, not yet corrupted boy. He was such a pervert when it came to these situations. "That's uh. That's Lee. Lee this is Naruto. The biggest idiot around" he kidded and managed a bleak smile as Naruto shook his head.

"Well, why don't I show Lee around?" Naruto said with a cocky grin, raising one eye brow towards Lee.

Gaara furrowed his brow, well where it was supposed to be. "Um, I'm pretty sure Sasuke would kill you" he told Naruto with a stern look.

Naruto suddenly lost all of his motor skills. His face went white and his eyes widened brilliantly. "Err, right. Ehehehe Sas-Sasuke would uh…yeah he'd, he'd kill me" Naruto looked over Gaara and Lee's shoulders, making the others turn in curiosity.

Sasuke strode down the hall with a look of calamity. Naruto shuddered because this was like the calm before the storm.

"Hey Naruto" said Sasuke as he walked up to him and enveloped him in a hug. Lee looked at Gaara with an awkward expression.

Gaara shrugged his shoulders to answer him."Okay, well I'm…I'm going to show Lee around" Gaara said as he backed away.

He and Naruto had a thing going while Naruto was still seeing Sasuke, and that was the reason why Gaara was kind of nervous every time Sasuke came up to him with that quizzical look. "Okay, see you later" Said the group.

Sasuke trailed Gaara severely with his piercing obsidian eyes. Gaara shuddered slightly. They walked down the hall; curious glances from other students followed them as well.

"So, what are you showing me?" Lee asked, his eyes gleamed with anticipation. Gaara shrugged again, this seemed to be the only kind of answer he had lately.

"I dunno I just didn't want to be around Sasuke" he told Lee, staring at his fishy eyes. Lee smirked at Gaara.

"How come? Did you lose in a fight?" he asked him with a stupid look across his face. Gaara glared at Lee deeply. His conscious mind told him to stop, stop being so angry or otherwise he'd go insane. "No…that isn't the reason"

"What is it then?"

"None of your business"

"Well if you're my friend, which you are or else I wouldn't be here, you would tell me"

"What…."

"Friend tell friends things"

"You're not making any sense. You're like an old demented circus monkey"

"What? I'm not the one with red clown hair"

"No but you have big fishy eyes and big bushy eye brows"

"So? Least I HAVE eye brows"

Gaara sent a hard blow to Lee's stomach. Lee collapsed to the floor and groaned. "Touché" he muttered as he slowly picked himself up from the ground.

Suddenly an angry voice erupted from down the hall. "Hey Gaara!" Gaara turned and saw Sasuke quickly walking up to him. He stood his stance, not afraid. "What do you want?" he asked, his tone bored and unaffected.

Sasuke came right up to him and glared deeply into Gaara's emerald green eyes. "so, been hanging around Naruto huh?" he growled as he pushed Gaara slightly. Gaara glared back, his eyes meeting Sasuke's. "Answer me" Sasuke pushed him again. Gaara gritted his teeth menacingly.

"Don't touch me" he told him. Gaara stepped up, only inches from Sasuke's face. Sasuke turned, finally noticing the larger, more built boy.

"Who is this?" he asked with sudden curiosity. Gaara, grateful of Lee, introduced them. "Sasuke-Lee, Lee- Sasuke" he mumbled.

He grabbed Lee's hand and pulled him away when Lee and Sasuke got lost in each others' eyes. Sasuke laughed. "What? Thinking that Lee might be stolen from you?" he jeered as he walked with them, grabbing Lee's hand. "Does that bother you?" he said as he wrapped his arm around Lee's waist.

Sasuke was annoying Gaara to no end right now. Gaara smirked, his eyes avoiding Sasuke's arm. "No, not at the least" he said stiffly, his posture just as stiff.

Lee looked awkward, like he wanted to rip free from both of them. Gaara still held on to Lee's hand absent mindedly. When Lee's fingers twitched Gaara let go quickly, hoping Lee wasn't as smart as he sounded in class. "I'll show Lee around Gaara, don't worry" he said, dragging Lee away and out of the tall wooden front doors.

Gaara just stood there, dumfounded greatly. Lee turned, giving Gaara a worthy apologetic smile. Gaara returned the smile with a kind of smirk and sneer.

Not really a smile. He turned and walked towards Naruto, Choji, and Shino. "Wow, nice to see you upset…" Gaara said to Naruto when he saw the dumbstruck look on his face. Naruto looked towards Sasuke and Lee his mouth barely parted when he spoke up.

"And he gets mad at me when I go and flirt with other guys?! Look at him! He's all over the new kid. God I'm not the only whore here" he mumbled as he looked down at his feet. Gaara laughed quietly under his breath while Chouji and Shino looked around, being quiet as possible so they didn't earn a smack in the head.

Gaara turned his head, trying to find a distraction. He let his gaze travel to his feet slowly, nothing else any interesting. "So uh, Shino…you found anyone yet?" Chouji suddenly spoke up. Gaara and Naruto raised their heads, almost snapping their neck in the process.

Choji never questioned anyone's dating status. Nor has he shown any interest in anyone. Shino turned his head towards them. "Sorry, what were you saying?" he asked, his eyes still looking down the hall. Chouji turned red and shook his head.

"Err, nothing" he mumbled and went back to fidgeting with his science papers. Shino shrugged and turned back towards the hall, observing some boys talking quite loudly to each other, though they seemed to try and hide what they were saying.

One boy with long dark hair was gazing intently at shino, but was talking to the other at the same time. "You know that shino kid right? Well…I've been thinking…about I dunno, talking to him more. He never notices me anyways" he mumbled to the other boy with a mask covering his mouth and his eyes covered with black sunglasses despite the shadiness in the hall.

"Are you even listening to me Yoroi?" he asked impatiently. Shino made an odd face when the boy named Yoroi glared at the other one. "Neji, seriously he'll never notice you, you're…ugh…not appealing to him. He likes that Chouji guy. They're always hanging out" he quipped lightly as he saw the disappointed expression on Neji's face. Gaara shook his head, his thoughts obsessing over Lee.

'What are they doing…what if he...I'm pathetic, why do I even bother with the kid?" he thought to himself as he raised his head. He met Naruto's blue eyes, their gaze locked together intently.

Gaara blushed and turned away to the other end of the hall. He spotted Sasuke and Lee walking down the hall, like a happy couple that just got back from the time of their lives. Lee had an awkward smile on his face, which was bright red and his eyes were glazed over.

He looked like he was sleeping, but Gaara stared at him with the oddest look on his face. Sasuke glared down at Gaara and brushed past him towards Naruto.

Hugging him and then letting go, only to grab his hand. Gaara felt his stomach churn. Seeing them together was as sick as the thought of Chouji and shino.

Gaara turned to Lee, giving him a dark look of disgust. "Have fun?" he asked coldly as he turned his back on Lee. Lee's face was etched with sad bewilderment. "I-….I guess I did kind of" he replied, his eyes not meeting Gaara's.

Gaara turned and turned his attention to the students shutting their lockers. Lee lightly tapped Gaara's shoulder timidly.

Gaara turned, his eyes flaming. "What?!" he asked loudly, angry at lee, well mostly Sasuke. Naruto turned, surprised by Gaara's unusual outburst.

"Gaara…Can...Can I talk to you for a second?" asked Naruto, his eyes glancing towards Sasuke. Sasuke glared but said nothing.

Gaara shrugged, whether he wanted to or not, he was sure Naruto would force him to talk anyways. "Okay, come here" Naruto said seriously grabbing Gaara's wrist tightly and dragging him down the hall and shoving him into the janitor's closet. "W-what?" Gaara asked impatiently, rubbing his arm where he had fallen into the broom sticks.

Naruto glowered at Gaara, his face for once serious, without the idiotic smile pasted across his face. "You like Lee don't you?" Naruto asked. his eyes deep with concern and worry. Gaara glared at him. "No, I don't"

"Well it sure looks like you do. You got mad when Sasuke took him away, and you never get mad at those small things." Naruto was determined to worm the answer out of Gaara no matter what.

"Just because it looks like it, it doesn't mean anything" he said flatly, not knowing what else to say. He stared at Naruto intensely, his green eyes piercing into Naruto's light blue ones.

"Well…if you don't like Lee…does that mean you still like…me?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"What?" Gaara's expression showed that he was embarrassed by such a question.

"Do you still like me?" Naruto asked quietly, looking at Gaara with a soft expression.

"Uhm, I really don't know…" he replied, he noticed how close they were…

"Oh…" came Naruto's soft voice. They were so close he could feel Naruto's breath…

The door opened quickly just as Naruto reclined his neck towards Gaara, about to embrace their lips together. It was Lee. Lee's eyes grew big, his face flushed.

He opened his mouth a few times and blinked his eyes rapidly, his dark lashes fluttering against his cheeks. "I-I-I- um. Oh…oh uh…I-I…ehhh" he couldn't find his tongue. Lee sounded like a skipping CD almost. Gaara and Naruto flew apart.

"Lee…GET IN THERE" Naruto hissed, pulling Lee's green shirt towards him. Lee flew into the closet with them. But Naruto looked around, deciding it'd be better if he just left. Gaara turned swiftly, his eyes widened significantly in an angry shock.

He knew the door locked from the outside, so no matter what they'd be stuck in here. If they broke it down, they'd be expelled and Gaara did not want to return to the hidden sand village. Lee looked at Gaara with fear. "I- I really…you you're…" he trailed off, but Gaara knew what he was getting at.

"Yeah…I am. What's your point?" Gaara asked angrily as Lee stared at him as if he was a strange and foreign disease. Lee blushed slightly as he turned his gaze towards the door.

"Uh. We better go" he mumbled lamely. Gaara nodded, not meeting Lee's eyes. He turned the knob, but only to find it locked.

Gaara let out a small whimper of despair. "Fuck" he swore under his breath as he kicked the door with fury. "what? What's wrong?" asked lee nervously, he wasn't sure if he should say anything.

Gaara turned, glaring at Lee with such intensity that made Lee feel like crumbling beneath his own weight. "It's locked" he told him, still giving him an angry glare. Lee blushed and furrowed his brow. "Why are you mad….what the hell did I do?" Lee was now frowning deeply at Gaara, hoping to intimidate him. Gaara's expression softened. He turned, his back facing Lee now. Gaara didn't want Lee to see his emotions, so he pretended to fumble with the lock.

"I…why do you care? I met you just today" he mumbled quietly. Lee shook his head, but Gaara of course, being turned around, didn't notice. "Uhm. I care because...I dunno. But it doesn't matter if I met you today…we're friends.

Well I think we are…unless you don't want to be friends…I…" He trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

Lee shuffled forwards and grabbed Gaara's shoulder tightly and spun him around. His dark eyes searched Gaara's emerald ones. Lee noticed the red hair that clung to his forehead.

He brushed it away, still looking into Gaara's eyes all the while. "What…" Gaara started to ask. Lee quickly moved in and embraced his lips with Gaara's. He didn't know what the hell had come over him, but he didn't care.

Those bright green eyes and Gaara's fiery red hair…Lee couldn't help it. He'd felt that way since he first saw Gaara. He admired Gaara for sticking up for a complete stranger, then gradually letting the stranger into his life.

Lee's eyes were closed as he kissed Gaara softly; lifting his hands to Gaara's hair and running his fingers through it, making Gaara shudder slightly. Lee pulled back and let his lips linger on Gaara's; barely touching, but just enough so Gaara could feel the warmth of his skin.

"…mhf..." Gaara let out a low sound from his throat. Lee opened his eyes and saw Gaara staring at the floor, his face almost as red as his hair.

Lee pulled away, staring and studying Gaara. He smirked; satisfied that he could get so close to someone that blocked out everyone. "…we really have to go" Gaara mumbled and kept fumbling with the lock.

Lee pinched Gaara's upper thigh, and smiled when Gaara's neck shot straight up. He didn't have to look at Gaara's face to tell he was blushing. A sharp sound filled the air, it was the bell. "Fuck, we'll get detention if we don't get out of here!" Lee hissed as Gaara kept fumbling with it. "Well we can't break it, we'll get suspended." Gaara replied impatiently. Lee's eyes brightened.

"We can shout though, there's got to be someone that will hear us" he told him with a bright smile. Gaara returned it with a kind of odd smirk. They started to shout, banging on the door for extra noise. After a minute and no one came, Gaara frowned. "No ones' coming" he told Lee with a negative expression. "Someone will" Lee assured him.

They kept banging the door and shouting loudly. Soon the door flew open, Gaara and Lee tumbled out. "Thanks" they both mumbled.

It was the dark haired boy that was talking about shino. "Hey, you're the one that likes shino aren't you?" Gaara asked as he stood up and brushed the dust from his uniform.

The boy glanced at him. "What...well no I….I. Yeah I guess I do" he muttered quietly. "Oh. Well thanks again for the door" Gaara quipped as he picked lee up off the ground and headed towards their next class.

-00-

"Gaara! Hey! Gaara-kun!" cried a one of the idiotic girls from the school next to Gaara's. Gaara turned and stared at the running girl.

She was wearing a white top with a black blazer and a red tie. Her school skirt was also black, but her tights were a shear white.

He smiled slightly, laughing silently to himself as the girl ran towards him. '…Why? Why do girls have to be so damn pathetic? Can't they go and do something else with themselves other then chase boys and talk about each other? Why do I even know what they do?!' he argued with himself.

The girl had finally caught up, sending Gaara into another fit of hell. "Gaara-kun you look really good today! Well you look good everyday of course!" the girl said loudly in her annoying squeaky voice. She mauled him, sending them both to the ground.

Her leg landed on Gaara's mid abdomen, her knee sinking into Gaara's groin. Gaara hissed in pain, shoving the girl harshly off of him. "Gaara! I'm really sorry I didn't mean to hurt you-"the girl kept going on in a whiny tone that just made the bomb in Gaara's head explode.

"SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" He turned and started to walk away. The girl ran up to him and looked him in the eye.

Her eyes were gleaming with unshed tears, which made Gaara feel slightly worse then he had felt when she had hurt him.

"I'm sorry Gaara-kun…" She said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Gaara simply glared at her and shook his head in disgust.

"You're so damn pathetic." He snarled, still standing before her, glaring darkly. The girl let out an odd noise, a squeaky hiccup. "Gaara…"

"Just go away! I don't like you. Especially if you're going to maul me every single time you see me.

You're the most pathetic being I have ever met and I don't want to see your sniveling face around me for a long time" he said darkly, he decided he would leave it at that and just make his way back to his home.

The girl was left standing there, shedding tears because the boy she liked so much had basically crushed her with one explanation.

She turned and started to run. Gaara looked back, seeing the girl flee from the spot where he had just been at.

He smiled cruelly. "Pity, she could've at least picked my bag up for me" he said, chuckling to himself while he lifted his book bag to his shoulder from the ground.

He turned, facing the winding road before him. He sighed and made his way towards his house, though it was more then a short walk away.

He watched the red and orange leaves fall silently onto the ground when the breeze picked up, he was almost home.

He finally made it into the town, the busy pedestrians browsed into the markets, looking for gifts, food, whatever they needed.

Gaara hated this, He hated all the people that went out of their way to buy presents for young children that would probably break them anyways.

The food he understood, though anyone would understand that. But he had never been recognized as a child, just a jinchuuriki that held an evil demon within his body.

That's why He and Naruto understood each other so much, maybe that's why…'Shut up!!!' his mind screamed to him, Gaara nodded in agreement and kept walking.

He turned the corner and bumped into a tall figure, he glared up at them, making them cringe in fear and quickly move away.

He shoved a small child out of his way, sending the child onto the busy street, "Hey! You don't go pushing smaller kids around!" yelled one of the male villagers.

Gaara glared at him. "Oh, Gaara. Nice to see you again" the man now whimpered fearfully. Gaara smiled and kept walking. He was feared by all and his Bijuu.

He finally came to face a dark alley. His eyes travelled to the dreary black door with a single rusted number on it.

He had to get the cheapest room so he could get to and from school easily. The school was in the hidden leaf village, Konoha.

His village, where he was supposed to kazeKage, was a long ways away. But his siblings decided it would be best if they sent him to a school, away from the village. His mental stability was worse then it was when he was a child.

Ever since the incident of sacrificing Chiyo, He was feeling rather sour and thought everyone distasteful in their own scum filled way.

He sighed, taking out his keys. "Temuri and Kankouro…you'll pay for this. Sticking me in a damn….ugggh" he groaned as a small spider scurried out of the doorway.

He walked inside, the living room, or what t was supposed to be, was actually quite warm. The old armchair sat in the corner with a dim over head lamp above it.

Half a dozen of open text books were sitting beside the chair on a small table, with an empty glass of water and a few orange peels.

He sighed and picked the empty glass and the orange peels up and brought them into the depressing kitchen, where cobwebs hung from the bare dim light bulb.

He threw the peels away and washed the cup. He was not really an unsanitary person; actually he really disliked untidy spaces.

He looked around at the white walls. They were supposed to be white, but they looked greyer, the paint peeling off in the corners and the cobwebs almost devoured the whiteness.

His thoughts slowly travelled towards the incident in the janitor's closet. He smirked, his hand absent-mindedly crawling up towards his lips.

He touched them softly, He almost felt as if it were happening all over again. His lungs twisted into a tight knot, while his heart sunk way down low to his stomach and started pulsing quickly there. He felt light headed as he thought of these senses.

He almost had to slap himself, for he was quickly stiffening at the thought of the sensation between him and Lee in the janitors' closet.

-00-

Lee had just entered his small campus apartment. The rain that had just started a minute ago had come down like a waterfall, flooding the sidewalk like a small river.

"God, who knew it rained more then in the Village" he mumbled as he pulled off his green turtle neck shirt. His lean muscles stood out clearly; Taijitsu had helped him gain this masculine form.

He glanced into his kitchen, it was a starchy white, everything except the black top counters, stainless steel furniture like the fridge and the microwave.

His apartment looked like it belonged to a neat freakish woman, but Lee, not being one to tolerate such messes, always had to keep his space clean.

He was a germ freak and didn't even like unwashed hands after handling his own kunai's. he peeled off his wet jeans and stood only in his boxers.

He jumped on the couch and grabbed the remote and switched it to the cartoon network. "Yeah! My show's on. Didn't miss one second" he said with enthusiasm.

He chuckled to himself as he watched the determined reckless boy try and fight off a crazed fan girl. He shook his head. "Man, Too bad the girls at my old school didn't do that to me" he said to himself, as if he was having a conversation with a good friend.

He thought about his old school and how so many kids had picked on him, trying to fight him every way he looked.

But his new school, there seemed to be only one bully, it was Hojji. And every seemed to be okay with him, but the smaller kids (like Lee) got pushed around.

But Lee had been toughened up by his former peers, so he didn't take shit from anyone. His thoughts travelled from the first incident with Hojji, to the last, very awkward incident with Gaara.

He furrowed his brow, a small bead of sweat forming in the crease of his forehead. 'Don't think about it, you can't like guys, there's no possible way. You just felt sorry for him…that's all' he assured himself with determination that he had no feelings what so ever for Gaara.

He sighed as he thought about how he moved in, embracing their lips together in a confused kiss. Lee didn't know what to think.

Gaara haunted his thoughts for over an hour, his light green eyes flashing through his mind. "…why _did _I kiss him? It was so random. But hey, he's got a hot body. I got to admit that" he said, blushing like crazy as he rocked back and forth like a fan girl.

Lee shook his head and started grinning stupidly. "His hair is so red! And his eyes are…oh my god his eyes are so hot. He even has a great body too.

He has that whole "tough exterior" but he's probably really sensitive and lonely on the inside…I CAN TELL!" he exclaimed loudly.

He then got control over himself and glared down at his feet. "What's wrong with me?" he asked himself. He tended to talk to himself a lot lately, ever since he started school.

Luckily he was from the hidden leaf village, where money was easily earned. He had just enough to rent this apartment.

It took a few odd jobs, a few begging techniques…maybe some occasional robbing…Lee shook his head. He didn't know what to think anymore.

He slumped down lower into the couch, fainting over Gaara and his exotic features. He covered his face with the small throw over. "Ugh….what's happening to me?" he whispered.

His eyes felt like cement, they were very heavy. He quickly fell asleep, Gaara's face wandering in and out of his dreams.

-00-

The sun beamed in through the mold covered window. Gaara lifted one eye lid with great effort.

He was curled up on the small dusty chair and the sun was beating down on him relentlessly.

He looked around groggily, unsure whether or not it was a school day. He had stayed up till the early hours of the morning; he finally got some rest when he drank some whiskey that he had left in the refrigerator.

Gaara sat up, rubbing the back of his head slowly. "Shouldn't have drunk that….ugh, what time is it?" he asked aloud.

He glanced over at the dusty grand father clock in the corner of the room. It was just barely nine 'o' clock. His eyes shot wide open.

It was only Tuesday! He stood up quickly and pulled on his pants and shirt. His muscles were chiseled enough to see the fine shape of his biceps.

He panted, catching his breath as he ran around the room collecting his belongings. Shoving his school papers carelessly into his book bag, he flung the door open and slammed it shut, racing off to school.

'I'm positive I'll get detention!' he moaned inside his head. He had never got a detention at this school before, and he wasn't enthusiastic about it now.

He raced down the busy market boardwalks, the villagers gasping and glaring at him. "It's the demon" a little girl whispered to her brother.

Gaara shot her a look of hatred and disgust, he'd be glad to stop and hit her but he was very late.

The girl shrunk back and cowered behind her equally small brother. He smiled and kept on running.

He finally got to the big hill where his school stood. He wasn't even close to tired from running, but instead, he was tired from waking up.

He groaned as he opened the tall wooden door, expecting to be scorned right away. His shoulders immediately slumped as he made his way to his first class.

He opened the door quietly, hoping the class had already begun working and the teacher wouldn't notice him.

Unfortunately, the teacher was in the middle of talking about physics. She turned, the meter stick held tightly in her hand.

Her eyes narrowed as Gaara skulked into the room. His eyes averted away from her piercing stare and went to the kid in the back row.

Lee stared right back at Gaara of course, their eyes locked like a heavily secured vault. The teacher slapped the stick on the desk beside her, making the students flinch.

"Sabaku no Gaara….you're late. And WHAT do late students get?" she said in a cold voice of hatred. She also feared him, but she converted that fear into hatred so deep that she could not resist belittling him all the time.

Gaara glanced over at the students. A wonderful thought came to Gaara's mind. "Uhh. They wouldn't want detention…" he said brightly, though his head was stuffed up from the hammering pulse in his brain.

The teacher glared at him. "You're lucky you can even go to this school Gaara, don't smart mouth me or you'll be out of here in a second" she said menacingly

He quirked an eyebrow bone at the teacher, he turned his face into a look of boredom and complete dullness.

The teacher was irked by his body language, and she slapped the stick on the desk again. "Take a seat…after school wait here.

You have a detention" she said dismissively, basically telling him to go away now. He nodded and gave her a smug little smile.

She just glared at him, furious. He dragged his book bag and his feet towards his desk, right in front of Lee. Lee looked up at him and gave him a smile.

Gaara faintly returned it but made sure it was barely noticeable. Lee looked down, his cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.

Gaara smirked and took out his text books and his note book. His pencil scratched away on the paper as he took glances up at the notes up on the head projector.

"Physics is the science of matter and its motion. As well as space and time, the science that deals with concepts of force, energy, mass, and charge…." The teacher bored Gaara greatly.

He couldn't pay any attention to her. He decided to do something different, neglecting his notes and the assignment she had juts given out.

He smiled when he thought of Lee, his comical big eyes and thick eye brows. He started to draw a neat pair of circular eyes, marking them with three tiny lines for eye lashes.

After about a half an hour Gaara was finished, his sketching of Lee was almost identical to the real one.

The teacher glanced down the aisles towards Gaara. Gaara quickly covered the drawing and pretended to scribble down the notes on the projector.

She smiled, a satisfactory expression written lightly across her face. All Gaara could do from chuckling was bite his tongue.

' He would never give her the satisfaction of control, nor would he give her any kind. He went back to finishing the sketch, hoping Lee would coincidentally look over Gaara's shoulder and see it.

Gaara felt light headed all of a sudden. His eyes went in and out of focus; his sketch was wavering back and forth in his vision.

He shook his head, trying to make it go back to normal. "What the fuck…" he muttered under his breath.

He didn't realize he had just sworn until the meter stick him in the mouth. "Gaara I will not tolerate that kind of language in my class room! You understand me? I won't put up with filthy behavior from a worthless 'Kazekage' "she said furiously.

Her eyes were dilated and her pupils almost took up the color in her eyes. A few beads of sweat clung above her lip; she almost looked as if she had a nervous break down.

Her brown hair was frazzled slightly, giving her an eccentric look. Gaara felt his cheek slice open as his own teeth dug into it.

The metallic taste was odd and unwanted. He simply glared up at her, wishing to stand up and crush her with Sabaku Kyuu, but of course, that would be kind of harsh.

He simply stood up and glared at her. She glared right back. "Go" she ordered with a high tone voice.

He lazily glanced around the room, his facial expression told everyone that he had this under control; he was going to stay in the class room.

He simply stood before the teacher, staring at her with blank expressionless eyes. She gritted her teeth and her eyes turned into tiny angry slits.

"How dare you defy me you pathetic demon child" she was so close to hitting him. He laughed a soft calm laugh that would put anyone to sleep. "No. I think you're the pathetic one" he said. And as he said this, he slowly bent down, still keeping his eyes on hers, and picked up his belongings.

He strode quietly but gracefully out of the room. The teacher stood there, jaw hanging open as if someone had dislocated it.

-00-

Gaara walked down the deserted hall with a calm expression. He didn't mind leaving, but he knew he'd have to pay the detention or either go to the office.

(The office would be a worse choice...he'd been there before and in his case of carrying a demon that could destroy basically everything, he got a far worse punishment- the strap.

He didn't mind the pain, but he had to hold back every urge to kill the principal, maybe just crush him like he did others.

The desert funeral was one of his signature moves, or so he would call them. He made quick easy steps down the hall and towards the tall heavy wooden doors.

The light shined through the dusty windows, the ones that were barred with heavy set metal. "Hmph and this is a school? More like a damn penitentiary" he grumbled beneath his breath.

He could feel the warm autumn breeze rustle his hair lightly. The windows were all closed except the very top one; the big bay window was wide open, tiny birds and a small squirrel looked in, observing; afraid to actually explore the school.

Gaara glanced up without a caring nerve inside of him. "Sabaku Kyuu" he whispered under his breath as he gazed lazily at the small animals.

Quickly, not even a second later, the animals were suffocating in sand. Gaara smiled cruelly and watched as the bodies fell to the hallway floor, lifeless and limp.

He smiled and kept walking. 'Today feels like a good day' he said cheerfully in his head. Although, it wasn't very cheery, there was nothing "cheery" about killing, but to Gaara, it was living.

He had vowed to himself the day that he would love only himself. He branded the Kanji 'love' on his forehead-oh how ironic it was.

His thoughts burrowed deeply into his locked away memories, the things he would never forget, nor would he ever want to.

e remembered hearing the last pathetic pleas of his former opponents before he had ordered the Sabaku Sousou onto their bodies.

He remembered almost feeling them writhe beneath the heavy sand, which crushed their bones into shattered pieces.

He once levitated an opponent; and to his cruel delight, the clear blue sky was now showering with blood.

It was such a wonderful sight; Gaara loved the energy flowing through him. He gazed blankly as he reminisced about the "good old days", lost in his horrible thoughts of murderous delight.

-00-

Lee shot his hand in the air, hoping the teacher would let him go to the bathroom. The teacher looked at him for a moment before her lips parted. "Yes…?" she asked him slowly, as if dragging her words out by a thin line of thread. Lee smiled sweetly at her.

"May I please go to the bathroom please Ms. Rotsousai?" he asked, his voice almost dripping with honey. She smiled brightly at him.

He was one of her favored students; the brightest and exceptionally good looking, who couldn't resist him? "Yes Lee, you may" she said deeply, her voice sultry and seducing. He gave her a look of oddity as he stood up.

"Thanks" he said clearly as he passed her desk and walked out the door. Once out in the hallway, instead of turning right, where the bathroom was located, he turned left.

Something deep in the back of his mind told him to go this way instead of the other way. He furrowed his bushy brows as he made his way down the hall.

Surely nothing surprising was this way? Lee looked around the dismal hallway, sure that the staff wanted them to feel like they were in jail.

If they just gave the building a sheer white look like his apartment, the school would have a much cheerier look to it; maybe lee would even start to like the school.

He turned around the corner, heading towards the two large wooden doors, hoping to catch some fresh air while he had the time.

He was looking at his feet until he sensed another student in the halls. He lifted his head cautiously, hoping it wasn't that fat ass Hojji.

His eyes lay upon a sitting figure surrounded by sand. At first he though he was just sleep deprived, but when he rubbed his eyes and blinked for a couple of minutes he knew what he was seeing was real.

The figure, hidden in the shadows, was leaning against the wall with a crazed smile on his face. His eyes were glazed over; lee had seen this kind of eye before. His sensei called it the "panic eye", Lee had seen it on many faces of konoha when it was attacked a couple of years ago.

Since Lee, his team mates, and a couple of others went on a mission, he could not remember anything at all that had happened in the past unless someone told it to him.

He vaguely remembered the chuunin exams; whom he had battled; whom he had lost to. He just remembered two light green eyes that could kill you in an instant.

He stopped thinking about it and went towards the figure leaning against the wall. "Excuse me? But who are you?" he asked slowly.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to find it out, but the shadows that were cast upon his company's face was making the natural curiosity rise up inside of him.

The figure turned his head, his crazed smile and panic eyes slightly disoriented. The panic eyes were light green, lee could tell. "Are you okay?" he asked.

The figure laughed, lee did not like it. He had heard such a laugh before blacking out on one of his missions with his teammates.

He backed away, and the figure followed. Lee stared at the receding shadows; he would now get to see his company's face.

His eyes widened when he saw the fiery red hair. "Gaara!" he cried with happiness and surprise.

Gaara stopped and his crazy smile and panic eyes disappeared. He shook his head, grabbing hold of the hair that grew out of his temples and started to pull it with frustration.

"Gaara! Gaara what's wrong?" Lee asked as he placed his hand on Gaara's raised shoulder. "Nothing…I was having flashbacks and I- I don't want to be this way!" he cried as his knees buckled and collapsed.

Lee bent down and sat beside Gaara. "What do you mean? You know you can tell me" he said soothingly, his voice soft and calm.

This was out of character, but he had no choice to be soothing if Gaara didn't calm down. "I don't know if I can Lee" he said quietly.

Lee looked at Gaara, whose head was bowed, the red hair falling over his eyes. Lee lifted Gaara's head by his chin, making Gaara look into his eyes.

He saw small unshed, frustrated tears in Gaara's eyes. He smiled and laughed softly. "I guess that tough exterior doesn't do you much good does it" it was more of a statement then a question.

Gaara shrugged and bowed his head again. Lee picked it up, and caressed Gaara's cheek with his bandaged hand. He didn't speak this time, but instead kissed Gaara softly where his Kanji was placed.

"I better go, the teacher would be expecting me back by now, I'll see you at lunch Gaara" he said as he stood.

He looked back and gave Gaara his best smile. Gaara surprisingly smiled back. He knew what love felt like, but this was different, way different. He hoped to see Lee soon.

-00-

"Lee you're late!" the teacher barked as lee pulled open the door. He smiled apologetically, "Sorry Ms. Rotsousai" he said, giving her his best smile.

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "You know what happens to late students Lee" she gave him a flirtatious smirk. Lee glanced at the door quickly, as if planning to escape.

"Y-yes Ms. Rotsousai…." He stuttered slightly, uncomfortable with the look in his sensei's eyes.

"Detention after school today" she told him as she passed by him towards her desk. All the students were working, so none of them noticed when the teacher lightly tapped Lee on the rear with the meter stick.

Lee felt his face grow hot, he felt like fainting. 'Teachers don't do that…they aren't supposed to do that, that's…that's…that's...uh…what is it called again? Sexual intentions? No what the hell that's not it. OH! It's uh, uh, uh…SEXUAL HARRASMENT! Yeah! That isn't right, they can get fired or something for doing that' he kept this debate going in his head for the rest of his morning classes.

Physics and Biology were his strongest subjects; the two morning classes were his only salvation from Math and English and History.

He sighed when the lunch bell rang; His mind had been going for the past four hours of classes. He stood up, stretching his legs slowly and then his arms. His first priority was to find Gaara and then Naruto and the others.

He wondered why he felt so at home with them, like he knew them from a long time ago. But of course this was just ridiculous, how could Lee know the most popular guys in both schools of boys and girls? Lee thought about how they would get a lot of the girls from the neighboring school through the thick forest path and up the hill.

He laughed as he made his way out of the class room, daydreaming about how he, Gaara, Naruto, and the other guys (he totally forgot their names) would go up to the school and talk to the girls.

How they'd get caught and probably have detention with the perverted lady teachers. This he shuddered to.

The hallways were cramped; he could barely push past the smaller freshman boys. He was looking down when he suddenly fell to the floor.

He looked up and saw Hojji. Hojji turned, his face flaring with anger. "Oh so you want to try my patience again do you?" he asked menacingly.

Lee shook his head, laughing as he stared up at the tall beefy boy standing before him. "You really think you can take me? Haha oh wow. That is funny" he said, slapping his knee as if mocking Hojji.

Hojji gritted his teeth together, making a horrible grinding sound. "Oh you really shouldn't have said that" he bent down and went to pick Lee up off the floor.

Lee quickly jumped up and away from him; his body was flexible enough to do some of the most complex moves.

Lee took his stance, waiting for Hojji to make the first move.

End of chapter one


	2. Chapter 2 dark secrets revealed

**Previously:**_ "You really think you can take me? Haha oh wow. That is funny" he said, slapping his knee as if mocking Hojji. Hojji gritted his teeth together, making a horrible grinding sound. "Oh you really shouldn't have said that" he bent down and went to pick Lee up off the floor. Lee quickly jumped up and away from him; his body was flexible enough to do some of the most complex moves. Lee took his stance, waiting for Hojji to make the first move. _

---------------------------------- Dark secrets revealed: Chapter 2 -------------------------------------------

Hojji moved with surprising speed. But he wasn't quick enough for Lee, who was already behind him.

Hojji looked around, slightly confused as he stared at the empty corner. "Where'd the little puke go?" he growled quietly.

Lee smirked as he sent a heavy blow to Hojji's face. Hojji turned around, obviously stunned. "WHAT THE HELL-"Hojji was cut off as a thick mound of sand piled up and over his body, crushing him beneath its heaviness.

Lee's eyes widened in shock. "What the hell? Where did that come from?"Lee asked, staring intensely at his hands. "Oh my god….oh my god…ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!! I HAVE SPECIAL POWERS!" he exclaimed loudly as he threw his fist up in the air.

All the boys stopped and stared at Lee with looks that were meant for a crazed lunatic. He was doing one of his little victory dances over Hojji's unconscious body when he noticed the attention he was getting.

"Err…." He blushed madly. He closed his eyes and didn't open them for a long time. "You know…that sand wasn't coming from you…it was coming from me" a voice explained behind him.

He slowly opened both eyes and turned around in slow motion. Gaara was standing behind him, arms crossed and a slack expression on his face.

It was like he was lifeless, a mere zombie. Lee blushed even more as he laid his eyes upon Gaara's. He felt like such an idiot

. "Can...Can you cover me with sand….please?" he asked weakly, wanting to get away from the questioning eyes as soon as possible

. Gaara let the smallest smile cross his lips. Lee felt like fainting as he drowned in Gaara's features. He felt like such a crazed school girl it was sickening. "Sure…or we can take a walk. There's an hour of lunch left" Gaara gestured towards the tall wooden doors that led outside.

Lee nodded. They both started walking at a hurried pace, Lee was too paranoid that Hojji would wake up and come after them with his barbarian friends and eat them.

Gaara pulled the door open and held it while Lee walked through it and into the early afternoon sun.

The pavement was wet with recent rain, but Gaara could care less as he went to the small cluster of trees.

Lee trailed right behind Gaara, staying close by him just in case. Gaara sat on the driest part of ground. Lee sat beside him.

"So, getting into trouble with Hojji again?" Gaara asked, staring at him with a bemused smile across his face.

This was the first time Gaara ever looked genuinely happy. When he was younger, he wore a scowl and his eyes were fixed in a permanent glare.

He remembered his childhood only too well….

Flashback

"Hey freak, why don't you do something instead of standing there all day?" taunted one of the girls.

Gaara sat on one of the swings, glaring down at the gravel beneath his feet. He looked up when he heard the small group of girls run up to him.

"I'm not standing up…I'm sitting on a swing" he said softly. He was swinging gently with the breeze; it ruffled his fiery red hair lightly.

The girls sneered at him and let out hyena like giggles. "Who cares what you're doing! The fact is that you're all alone.

Not even your mother wanted you" they all circled around him, casting dark shadows at his feet. He bowed his head, trying to block out their tormenting voices.

'Why do they hate me so much…I'm not a monster…' he thought sorrowfully. Even when Gaara put on his best smile, the other children seemed to run and grab their mothers' skirts, afraid they might be killed by him.

Gaara was only eight, and eight year olds should be happy, healthy, and loved. Gaara always thought that being spoiled was being loved, but he found out different when Yashamaru tried to assassinate him under his fathers' orders.

He had never felt love, and now that he had no one, except his disgusting siblings whom he thought of as clumps of meat linked together in murderous hate.

He didn't even notice the girls taunting him as he thought of his past, his father, his uncle, his siblings. "You're such a loser. Boys aren't supposed to wear eyeliner and they don't dress like pansies" giggled a tall blond haired girl with a pig like nose and far parted eyes.

He kept on glaring, he really didn't care about what they said, and nothing could hurt him now. The truth was, Gaara was the most emotionally and mentally unstable child in the whole village.

The pig nosed girl shoved him; pushing his shoulder back enough to make him fall backwards off the swing.

"Come on you cry baby! Stop being so weak and do something" she jeered, kicking the gravel at his face. Gaara closed his eyes tightly, making sure his unshed tears didn't leave their place. Suddenly the fire burning inside of him ascended into a raging fury so big it almost exploded his small empty heart.

'I crave the blood from innocent victims….I am longing for it…Gaara, kill these pathetic girls and satisfy my desires' wheezed Shukaku.

Gaara's eyes widened, the look in his eye was getting more familiar each time. His heart burned with desire to kill.

The girl with the pug nose kept kicking the gravel at him, which wasn't making this desire any better.

Gaara let out a small psychotic giggle that made the oxygen in the air seem stale and heavy. He realized what was happening to him; he realized that Shukaku was quickly taking over his mind.

He felt his eyes getting heavy for the first time in a long time. He had never slept in eight years because Shukaku would take over his mind and do what he pleased with Gaara's body.

Gaara was motionless, his eyes wide with a eerie glint of determination in them. His red hair flowed over his kanji and over his eye.

The girl laughed and swore at him as she pulled her leg back to kick him in the stomach. "Desert coffin" he whispered. His voice sounded demonic, as if possessed.

He was almost taken over, but part of his mind told him to stay awake. He wanted to hurt them, and Shukaku would let that happen.

The sand quickly ascended up the girl's leg and chest, covering half of her small body. She shrieked as she struggled to get away.

"It's useless…it will come for you no matter what" Gaara told her as if they were having an explanatory conversation.

The girl was gushing out tears, pleading for her life. Gaara smiled heartlessly. "I'd like to have a little fun" He rasped cruelly to her.

He summoned the sand to hold her high in the air. She levitated for about five minutes. "PUT ME DOWN PLEASE! PUT ME DOWN!" she screamed at him with fury and fear

. Her tears mixed with the sand, which made Gaara feel more alive. "You really think I would put you down after all the SUFFERING you've caused me?" he asked as if he was just insulted. She shrieked and screamed and shrieked some more.

"PUT ME DOWN YOU FREAK!" she screamed. She realized that she had just made the biggest mistake of her life.

Gaara glared up at her, the sand shadowing his eyes from her view. He turned his head towards the other scared girls.

He smiled at them, not a friendly smile nor a smile of hatred, but a smile that was emotionless, a blank empty canvas. "Want to watch me make it rain blood?" he asked them excitedly.

The girls shrieked as blood splattered them from above, streaming down their faces and running into their mouths as they screamed.

Gaara laughed hysterically as he sent the sand towards them all.

He sent them into the air and crushed them with the sand, covering the gravel with their blood. He panted with adrenaline as the sand retreated into his gourd.

From now on he would not care what anyone thought, and if they made fun of him, or if they even got in his way, he would kill them.

-00-

Gaara sat silently on the swing, watching the sun set behind the tall mountains that stooped over Sunagakure.

Shadows swept across the play ground of the ninja academy. He gently pushed his feet on the blood stained gravel, making the swing sway slightly.

"If no one is going to like me… then I'll kill them all" he said softly as he looked down at his palms.

They were open and facing the full moon. He wondered what was wrong with him, excluding the fact that he had a demon inhabiting him; he didn't see anything wrong with him.

Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He looked up into the bright summer moon. How could such beauty exist in such a dreadful world filled with murderous hatred?

He felt a tear leave his eye, he quickly wiped it away. He hated it when he cried; it made him feel weak and pathetic like most of the other children in the village.

He glared up at the moon. It was bright and lit up all the grounds. He summoned up Shukaku. He decided he would use Shukaku's eyes to see better in the dark.

His eyes turned jet black, the whiteness leaving. The color that was once green turned to bright yellow, making him seem more demonic yet.

He looked around, searching for any sign of life. He smiled cruelly when he saw a small desert rabbit make its way towards him, hopping happily down the long narrow path.

Gaara watched as he let the sand slither out of his gourd and onto the ground. It slinked its way towards the rabbit, silently stalking the poor creature.

The rabbit did not acknowledge the fact that his life would soon end. The rabbit searched the ground for anything with vegetation, whilst the sand crept towards it like a lion stalking an antelope.

It struck the rabbit and closed around its tiny body. The rabbit struggled with great effort. Gaara laughed as he watched the rabbit try and save its own life.

"Desert coffin" he said quietly. Soon the rabbit stopped struggling, soon the rabbit's breathing succumbed to almost death.

Its bones were shattered into pieces, piercing its lungs and filling them with blood. Gaara laughed psychotically as he got up and walked towards the rabbit.

He wanted to see the look in the rabbit's eyes as it slowly died, just like the four girls that same day had.

Their eyes had swum with tears of pain and suffering. "Now you know how I feel…don't ever get in my way" Gaara had told them as he walked away, leaving them lying on the ground to die.

end of flashback

"Anou…Gaara-kun?" Lee timidly nudged Gaara, who was obviously lost in a trance like dream. Gaara's head snapped back in surprise.

He turned and looked at Lee as if he were asking where he was or who he was. "Gaara? Are you okay?" Lee asked, placing his hand on Gaara's shoulder softly. Gaara nodded, still a tad out of it. "Y-yeah, I'm fine" he leaned his head against the tree's bark and shut his eyes.

He was dying for sleep, but of course that could not be allowed. Lee smiled as he watched Gaara, eyes closed and head tilted back.

He observed how Gaara's hair caught the sun light on just the right angle, making it look as if fire was snaking out of Gaara's scalp.

Lee had a sudden urge to run his ringers through Gaara's hair, to feel its softness between his fingers. "Hey Gaara?" Lee was staring curiously at Gaara, who was clearly comfortable just where he was.

Gaara opened one eye and glared at Lee. "What? I'm really comfortable and if it involves moving, then you're shit out of luck" Gaara shifted his body weight, making it more tolerable.

"Can…can I play with your hair?" he asked softly, smiling and blushing as he stared anxiously at Gaara. Gaara glanced at him and gave a quizzical look but agreed to let Lee do what he willed.

Gaara let out a soft sigh as Lee's fingers ran through his thick red hair. He had never had this done before, and he was enjoying it fully.

Lee was gone, out in his little dream land where anything could happen. He was picturing Gaara, his green eyes piercing his mind like sharp shurikens.

"Gaara-kun?" Lee asked again. This time Gaara gave a low grunt and opened both of his eyes. "What is it? Can't you just shut up for one minute?" he asked, obviously agitated. Lee shrank back, one eyes closed and a hand over his face, ready for a blow.

"I'm not going to hit you" Gaara told him. Lee put his defenses down. "Gaara….can I kiss you?" He asked softly, blushing freely as he turned his gaze towards the ground.

Gaara turned his attention to the ground also, he was afraid. He abruptly stood. "I have to go" he told Lee, who was still sitting with a dumbstruck expression on his face.

-00-

Lee walked down the hall with a miserable body language. He wasn't at all stoked for English, his best subject.

He felt the heavy storm clouds move in as he opened the classroom door. He sat down in the front row, where he normally sat.

He took out his supplies and started working right away. "Lee…is something bothering you?" asked a cold voice behind him.

Lee turned in his desk and found himself facing Sasuke Uchiha, the boy who had so boldly taken him around the waist and led him around the school.

'He was the one that caused Gaara to get angry with me' Lee couldn't help but point this out. He was obsessing over Gaara and didn't hear Sasuke.

"What are you doing after school…Naruto won't be with me so we should hang out"….

"Lee…?"…..

"Are you even listening to me?"…..

"LEE!"

Lee shook his head, shutting his eyes tightly. "WHAT?!" Lee glared defensively at Sasuke, whose eyes were as wide as a deer's in headlights.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed into tiny slits of annoyance.

"I've been talking for the past twenty minutes and you haven't been listening at all!" Sasuke protested his mouth turning into a slight pout.

Lee shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ehh, sorry I have a lot of things on my mind" Lee would almost have cracked had it not been for Sasuke's dark obsidian eyes.

Lee blushed and turned away. 'Why am I even fussing over Sasuke? I mean come on…We all know whose better looking….Gaara-kun, what is wrong? Did I do something to hurt you….if only I could read minds' He thought miserably, getting lost in his perishable thoughts once more.

"So that's that! You're coming over after school" Sasuke announced. Lee almost jumped out of his desk chair.

"W-w-whaaaaat?!" He stuttered as if he had turrets syndrome. Sasuke laughed and nodded. "I know isn't it great?" he said cheerfully.

He turned back to his work. Lee sat there, awe struck and dumbfounded. He was going to Sasuke's house?

-00-

Gaara was quick to leave the class room. He wanted to catch up with Lee and apologize for the way he had acted earlier at lunch.

Lee was bound to be in English, and his classroom was only four doors down from his. He happily thought about what he was going to say.

'He Lee…sorry about how I acted, that was kind of weird. I have a lot of things on my mind lately so you have to just give me some time.

Meanwhile, why don't you com over to my apartment and game out? I have a great game and well, you'd like it. It's a fighting game…and then I can order some Onigiri and ramen…'…Gaara was sure this would be a sure-fire plan.

He knew it wouldn't sound exactly like that, but he would make sure he would get the "come over to my apartment" right.

He was smiling to himself and he didn't even notice. Deep down, he was happy to be free of his hatred of others, but another half of him hated what Lee was doing, and he did not want to let Lee into his life, for he was terrified of being hurt again.

But, he was so used to being hurt, could one be any more damaged before they broke? No…it wasn't possible. Gaara looked around and spotted Lee.

He started quickening his pace when he was stopped dead in his tracks. His light green eyes widened into a broken surprise.

Sasuke was walking _with_ Lee. Sasuke had his arm around Lee's _waist. 'What…the…fuck…'_ Gaara felt a bubbling pit of pure hatred towards Sasuke.

He never liked Sasuke, he always thought Sasuke was just 'there' and just around and never had any importance. "Lee! Lee wait!" Gaara called.

He saw Lee try to turn around but Sasuke held him tightly."Damn it…damn you…" he gritted his teeth and glared darkly at Sasuke.

"You won't be getting away with this" He vowed to Sasuke, who was already out of sight. Gaara felt his whole body and soul slump into a mixture of pity and hatred.

Why was it that every time something good came into his life, it was just taken back, away from him.

Did god really mean to make Gaara the most unstable and unhappy human being around? Why was it him that had to carry such a beast?

Why did everyone have to hate him for something he couldn't help? Gaara kept asking these questions over and over again in his head.

He was unsure whether he should kill Sasuke or Lee. Which one would hurt him most in the end? Gaara had to think about this; both of them were a threat, and Gaara could feel their threats deep down.

He knew what they could do; he knew well that they could destroy him mentally and emotionally.

He had already gone through so many psychiatric treatments, and he was close to suicide. Gaara didn't even notice he had walked all the way home in just ten minutes, when regularly it took him a half hour.

He unlocked the rotting door and pushed it open. The scent of moth balls and dust filled his nostrils.

He choked on the stench and opened all the windows. The sun light made the room look more welcoming.

The black walls were depressing and the hole wrought curtains were hanging off the hooks. Gaara looked around his clean yet messy apartment.

It was time for some renovations. Gaara smiled deviously. He had six hundred dollars and he didn't need any food.

He pondered about his living space, wondered what Lee would like. He shook his head and made his way to the market, stoked on paint, new curtains, and Frebreeze.

-00-

Gaara panted as he collapsed on the vacuumed floor, holding the paint brush in one hand and a broom in the other.

The walls were a crisp white and so were the curtains. Everything was clean and sparkling, he had even got the scent of moth balls and dust out of the room.

He smiled as he sat up, admiring his work. He was sure Lee would like- "SHUT UP" Gaara growled as the words were tumbling out of his thoughts.

He shouldn't care what Lee thought, it was his house. Gaara glared at the floor and picked himself up.

He slumped down onto the chair and opened his text books; he might as well do some homework, nothing else to do. 'You could do Lee' said his inner voice. Gaara groaned and smacked the book onto his face and decided he would get lost in his uncontrollable thoughts about Lee.

-00-

Sasuke's arm lay around Lee's shoulder. Lee looked up at Sasuke, blushing slightly as Sasuke's hand pulled back from beneath Lee's pants and boxers.

Sasuke smirked as he saw the tired and exhausted expression on Lee's face. Sasuke wiped his hand on his pants, the warm liquid streaming off of it in a slow fashion.

"See? You don't want to waste your time on an unstable emo fagget like Gaara, I can give you more satisfaction, I'm way more experienced then he is" Sasuke was caressing Lee's hair, making Lee shudder even more.

Lee couldn't help it, he needed attention and Sasuke was there for him, giving him the satisfaction that Gaara had refused to give.

But deep inside of Lee's unopened chambers of his brain, He knew that He longed for Gaara's touch, not Sasuke's.

He couldn't stop picturing Gaara's glare or the way Gaara smirked to hide his real smile. "I'm glad you came over.

And I'm very glad you came. Ahahaha, Gaara is such a fool if He can't see that you need attention, that you need satisfaction.

I can give both. Lee, If I break away from Naruto….will you be mine? Will you stay with me?" Sasuke asked, his leering black eyes spooked Lee, making him feel as if he were being stalked by a vicious demon.

"I-I…I don't know…I don't know how I feel…I'm so confused…I can't be with you…I….I love Gaara…." Lee said softly.

He felt the heaviness of unshed tears flow into his vision. He saw Sasuke's angry glare and his mouth moving rapidly.

He heard unprocessed words and shouts and then felt a heavy blow to his face. He was already hazed and confused, his guard was down. He could feel the searing pain before he blacked out.

-00-

Gaara was sitting on the chair, lost in his thoughts about Lee when a knock at the door came to his ears. He furrowed his forehead as he got up and walked towards the door, slowly moving as if taking a long time would make the visitor go away. He turned the knob and opened it ajar, just so his face could be seen.

His eyes widened in a horrified shock when he saw Lee standing on the foot of his doorstep, cut up and bruised beyond recognition.

He wouldn't have been able to tell it was lee had it not been for his bushy brows and his oddly cut hair. "What happened? And…how do you know where I live?" Gaara asked as he opened the door wider so Lee could come in.

Once Lee was inside he collapsed on the floor. Gaara would usually go insane from the sight of blood, he craved it almost ninety percent of the time and now his cravings were soaring.

He had to control his instincts to not rip Lee apart, crush his bones and feel the blood soak into his chakra controlled sand.

Gaara shook his head, removing all violent thoughts. His expression turned softer, he didn't want to hurt lee, even if he wanted to, his inner voice would not allow it.

Despite the fact that lee was with Sasuke, Gaara could not throw Lee out. He bent down, sitting on top of both his legs.

He stroked Lee's hair as he bent down and lifted Lee's chin. "What happened to you…you can tell me, I won't be angry or upset" he said softly, his words barely grazing his lips.

Lee gave out a small appreciative smile. "O-okay…" he whispered, his words were strangled in his bruised swollen throat. Gaara felt a light feeling in his heart, like a weight was lifted.

He never felt this way before, about anyone. "I was at…S-Sasuke…Sasuke's…h-house. He and…I wa- I was..we…we did..thing- things…and then…and then he a-asked m-m-me to b-be with him.

I-I said n-no because, because I-I lov- I love y-you…Gaara-k-kun." He was barely understandable.

Gaara could hear every choked out, stuttered word coming from Lee, and he didn't even realize he was crying.

He didn't feel the tears escape his eyes, he didn't feel the constricting of his throat, he didn't feel his hands pick Lee off his now blood stained carpet and hold him.

He held Lee for over an hour, he was going to fall asleep. His eyes were getting heavy, this relaxation was getting to him. He caressed Lee's bruised jaw, crying as he recollected the words Lee had spoken.

'I said no because I love you Gaara' came Lee's echoed voice. It haunted Gaara as he fell into a resentful sleep.

Gaara sat there in the middle of the floor, holding Lee as he sank down beside him, laying in Lee's coughed up blood.

His head was nestled into Lee's shoulder, his arm was wrapped around Lee's waist, while his other hand held Lee's head.

It was very peculiar for Gaara to be so soft hearted, but he had realized that he had deep affection for this odd, fish eyed boy.

He couldn't deny it anymore. The only problem was letting Lee in to warm up Gaara's long frozen heart, the one that beat but was empty of emotion…the one that longingly desired Lee's love, the one that couldn't beat without Lee.

It would stay frozen for the years to come, but now Lee had just barged into Gaara's life..creating a polar shift in his heart.

-00-

Lee awoke to a warm sticky feeling on the hairline of his forehead. He reached up and wiped it away.

He looked at the blood, not able to process what it exactly was at first. He turned and was surprised to feel and see Gaara sleeping beside him in an awkward angle.

Gaara's arm was now splayed across Lee's waist, and his other was supporting his head as a pillow. Lee smiled, letting out a small chuckle.

He hissed intensely as a sharp pain wove its way deep into Lee's ribs. Lee could tell that he had either cracked at least two ribs or they were badly bruised.

He barely remembered Sasuke attacking him. He couldn't find it in his mind. He sighed, sending more pain up his chest.

He decided he would take in shallow quick breaths instead of long relaxed ones. He felt tears escape his eyes as he remembered Gaara holding him, talking to him in a soothing voice that was uniquely made by Gaara himself.

He remembered how he had told Gaara how he really felt about him. The only thing was…did Gaara feel the same way? Lee closed his eyes and quickly fell into a painless sleep, the chemicals in his brain had numbed him long enough so that he could rest in Gaara's arms, sub consciously hoping it wouldn't end.

-00-

The alarm awoke the both of them. The sound almost drove them insane as they shook awake. "What the fuck…" mumbled Gaara as he got up and threw the alarm clock on the floor.

It smashed into tiny pieces, scattering on the carpet. "We'll be late for school if we don't get ready…Lee?" Gaara felt two hands slide down his chest from behind and wrap themselves around his waist tightly and securely.

He blushed, glaring at the floor out of habit. His eyes were wide with embarrassment and shyness. He had never been held so affectionately before and he had been enjoying the sensation and illusion that he was loved.

He remembered what lee said and was so close to putting up his barriers. Something in Gaara told him to let this one slide, let it go and bask in its warmth.

"Thank you Gaara-kun…you let me in you home despite the way I treated you…" he said quietly. Gaara felt the small tear drops hit his shoulder.

He turned, Lee's arms now resting over his shoulders and dangling behind his back. "You don't need to thank me.." he said in return.

They both stood there, standing next to the chair, the standing lamp, and the pile of text books. Eyes met, reading into each others' thoughts.

Soon Gaara stood on the tips of his feet and Lee leaned in. Lips collided head on in a passionate kiss. Gaara's hands crawled up Lee's back and through his hair.

"I'm so sorry…" Gaara murmured as tears silently escaped his eyes. He wiped it away with his hand. Lee pulled back and stared into his watery eyes.

"Don't be scared to let me in. Don't block me out. I want to be a part of your life….I won't let you be hurt by me or anyone else…just let me in…" he was actually crying, actually pleading for Gaara to bring down his barriers and let Lee into his life.

Gaara closed his eyes and shook his head. "How do I know that?! How do I know you won't run off to some other guy and leave me?! I can't be hurt anymore, I've taken all I can take! WHY DO YOU EVEN BOTHER WITH ME?!?!" Gaara asked roughly as he pushed Lee away.

Lee grabbed Gaara by the collar of his uniform and threw him back into the wall. He pinned him down tightly, his cheeks flushed even though he was already pale.

Lee glared at the shorter boy, "you make me feel so amazing…" He breathed as his eyes travelled to Gaara's lips, wanting, waiting.

Gaara eyes stared back, filled with fear of the unknown. "You make me feel….the same way" He said softly. Lee pulled Gaara in for a second kiss, not caring whether or not Gaara felt the same way. His heart pumped full of emotion, ready to explode.

Gaara pulled back soon after their passionate kiss. "We have to get to school Lee, I'll have another detention if I'm late" he said softly, pushing gently past Lee and packing up his belongings.

"I don't have my things here..they're at Sasuke's" Lee said miserably. He remembered what had happened now.

He was terrified to go to school, he wasn't sure whether Hojji or Sasuke would come after him, and He wasn't completely relying on Gaara to be there both times.

-00-

Gaara and Lee made their way into the Gymnasium. The students sniggered as Lee walked by. News had probably spread that Sasuke had almost beat Lee half to death.

Gaara looked at Lee as if to tell him not to worry about it. Lee nodded in response as he walked towards the bleachers.

He told the teacher he couldn't play today and that he was going to head down to the library. "Okay, I'll except it this time, but next time give me a written note" she told him as he walked off towards the library.

Gaara was sitting on the bench, contemplating about Lee and his choices. 'I want to…I really want to.

He makes me feel as if I'm loved, as if I'm wanted….' A distant voice pulled him back into a deep reconsideration as he leaned back against the top bleacher.

'You also thought Yashamaru and your father loved you as well. You thought you belonged when really, no one accepted you for who you are.

Lee won't ever love you, get over it and love only yourself…no one else' said a rough demonic voice. Gaara knew only too well that it was Shukaku.

He knew the voice as he knew his siblings. He told Shukaku no, that lee really did love him. Shukaku laughed and went back into a deep slumber.

''My life is falling apart….'' He told himself softly. A cruel voice from behind told him it was Uchiha. "You never even had your life together in the first place." Gaara turned around quickly.

He glared at Sasuke for a quick second and then walked off, not even bothering to talk back to the pathetic raven haired boy.

Sasuke's laughs followed Gaara to the other side of the bleachers where he waited alone, avoiding all conversations with the other guys and not bothering to pick up the basket ball.

'You never even had your life together in the first place' the sentence kept repeating in Gaara's head. He shook it slightly, closing his eyes. "Hey Gaara!" called a cheerful, annoying voice.

Gaara looked up and saw the tall blonde haired boy grinning over him like a lion ready to pounce. "Oh hey Naruto" Gaara said quietly, his voice muffled by his hands.

Naruto gave him a weird look and sat down beside him. "So…are you and Lee…" Naruto started to ask but trailed off when Gaara shot him a look of pure annoyance. "Okay, okay! Sorry…I didn't mean anything.

How come you're so down today?" He asked, his rough voice cracking as he tried holding in a small giggle.

Gaara glared at him and didn't respond. Naruto fiddled with the end of his shoe lace, pretending not to notice Gaara's behavior.

"Well I'm going to start practicing with Shikamaru…come with us?" asked Naruto with a small light of hope.

Gaara shook his head that was barely noticeable. "Okay…see you then" Naruto said with an indifferent tone that was just not Naruto.

Gaara nodded distractedly. Naruto walked off and joined the group of dribbling basket balls with the other guys.

Gaara sat there, his thoughts fixed directly on Lee. 'Gaara, you've never been loved. You never will be. Why are you even trying to fool yourself? You're completely alone….with no one to hold you up when you fall, with no balance in your life…you may as well just kill yourself now, there's no point in living. I can live for you…I can be free. Just kill yourself and then you'll be rid of the numbness of hurt, your mind can't take so much damage can it….not with the mixed signals from that boy and the cruel knife stabbing tones from the disgusted villagers. No, I'm sure no one will miss you at all. They won't even know y-'Shukaku was shut off by a sing song voice calling to Gaara.

Gaara quickly wiped away the tears of hate and pity. Lately he'd been feeling really suicidal, like there was nothing for him.

But when he looked up and saw Lee staggering over with a bright smile on his face, Gaara could feel the heaviness of his emotions melt.

He quickly got up and walked over to Lee in a quick fashion. "Gaara…I-"Lee was smiling brightly, as if he just received the greatest news in the world.

Gaara gave him a tiny smirk. "What is it?" Gaara asked quietly, his deep voice more clear then it was with Naruto.

"Well I was just in the Library and well…I wanted to talk to you, I guess I mi-" Lee was cut off by a small group of boys, freshman none the less, sniggering behind them, listening in to their conversation.

Gaara turned and gave them a deep glare of hatred and murderous intent. The boys stopped immediately and trotted off, their cheeks flaring red as if they had just got a damaging sun burn.

"Anyway I just wanted to talk to you, I kinda missed your constant glare" Lee said, laughing as he finished his sentence.

"Oh? Did you really? There's nothing good about me…nothing memorable anyway. But if you want to talk, then okay I'll listen" Gaara was quite clear that he wasn't going to put much effort into the conversation.

Lee was fine with this as long as he got to be around Gaara. They walked out of the gym doors and into the hallway.

The teacher never cared whether or not they were there because the teacher was a fat balding man himself, lazy as can be.

They sat beneath the small shelves of trophies won recently. "I didn't even notice how long I've been here…seems like I haven't even started my new year, it feels as if I've been here forever" Lee said as He looked around the dim brown-white walls.

Gaara gave a small mixture of a grunt and a small laugh. Lee enjoyed this because that meant Gaara was listening, and also he was responding in his way.

'I never thought I'd like a guy before..but there's something so…mysterious, so eerie about Gaara that just wrenches me.

It feels as if an unknown magnetic force is pulling my heart deeper and deeper into my stomach.

I think…I think I'm in love with him. Oh how weird does that sound?' he thought as he began to picture Gaara's face.

He started sweating with giddiness and began to rock back in forth excitedly. "So uh…." Lee couldn't finish his sentence because he suddenly passed out.

Gaara shuffled back quickly. "Lee?" he asked, a little startled as the unconscious boy rolled off the bleacher seat and onto the gym floor.

Gaara loomed over Lee, studying his features carefully. Lee's face was pale except for a tint of light red dashed across his cheeks.

His eyes were barely opened, his lashes covering most of his sight. Gaara nudged him gently. "Hey Lee…" He said quietly, trying to keep his voice low so he wouldn't attract attention. But unfortunately, luck was not on his side today.

Sasuke and Naruto came up to the two on the gymnasium floor. "Hey freak. What's wrong with Lee?" asked Sasuke in a cruel voice.

Gaara looked up at him with great distaste. "Shut the fuck up Uchiha. You're damn pathetic" He growled. He couldn't stand Sasuke at all.

He couldn't believe Sasuke had the nerve to ask how Lee was after he attacked Lee just yesterday. "I'm pathetic? Oh you are funny.

It seems to me that I'm the one that has some balance. At least people like me" Sasuke shot back. Gaara cringed, that was an uncalled blow.

It wasn't fair that Gaara had the stakes against him. Sasuke was indeed wanted by many of the boys and the girls.

Gaara didn't care for either but just knowing that someone so malicious like Sasuke could be wanted made his gut coil into a small ball of hatred.

"Like I care. I love myself and only myself. I don't need anyone" Gaara was so close to murdering Sasuke. Sasuke let out a small cruel laugh.

"What about Lee? Don't you care for Lee? He's defenseless right now and all I have to do is puncture his chakra gates.

I could kill him right now" Sasuke said, stepping closer towards them Naruto grabbed his sleeve and tried to pull him back.

Sasuke turned and punched Naruto in the mouth. Naruto was sent flying towards the ground, holding his bleeding mouth gingerly.

"What the hell is your problem?!" screamed an annoyed and confused Naruto. Sasuke told Naruto to shut up and turned back to Gaara.

"Is Lee just a pawn in your game of life? Is he just there to satisfy your lust? You don't deserve Lee. I should kill him now and just get rid of your troubles" At this Sasuke pushed past Gaara and was about to take Lee's life.

Time seemed to stop when the sand covered all of Sasuke's body. Sasuke let out a pained yelp when Gaara made the sand close harder around Sasuke's wrist.

He was just toying with Sasuke, hoping Sasuke would stop belittling and taunting Gaara. "Let me out of this you fucking loser" Sasuke sounded as if he was ready to kill.

Gaara laughed cruelly as he threw Sasuke up into the air. He laughed as Sasuke hit the roof with a muffled thud.

"Do you like it?" asked Gaara as he watched Sasuke with great happiness. Lee was still unconscious on the ground and Naruto was freaking out, trying to wake Lee up so Lee would stop the two from fighting.

"Why are they fighting over you anyway? I'm way better looking then you" Naruto said quietly to Lee, who was now sub- consciously muttering unknown sayings.

Lee opened one eye lazily. He had a dreamy look to him like he just woke up from the greatest dream ever.

"Gaara-kun?" He asked sleepily, his voice was muffled slightly as he slid his hand down his face. Naruto laughed.

"That's why you passed out? Oh wow you have it bad. Then again I don't blame you, everyone wants that guy, though he's really thickheaded about it and doesn't notice half of the school drooling over him cause of his…light green eyes and …hot red hair…ANYWAY so yeah…you're awake" He quickly changed the subject because he would soon swoon under Gaara's spell and black out just as Lee had.

There was a loud crack above them as Lee and Naruto looked up. Sasuke was on the ground beside Gaara, they were both passed out and bleeding profusely.

Lee's eyes widened in terrified shock, "Gaara!" cried Lee as he jumped up, then fell, and then ran towards him.

Naruto followed and knelt beside Sasuke. "I told you to stop! Why don't you ever listen to me teme!" screamed Naruto. He was covering his feelings with annoyance and anger.

Sasuke smiled weakly. "Well…then it just wouldn't be fun to see your face…with it's funny whiskers…and how stupid you look when you're mad…"

Lee was sitting on both legs as he caressed Gaara's jaw line. Blood was captured in the corners of Gaara's lips, barely any damage had been done.

Gaara was panting heavily, tired from putting up a well played fight. Lee smiled proudly and told Gaara he loved him. Gaara smiled brightly, which made Lee lose vision for tears were forming, and was able to whisper back, "Well…I…I love you too"

-00-

Gaara felt Shukaku awaken inside of his mind. He felt the chakra running through his veins like poison dripping through an IV line.

'So now your asleep and now I can slaughter these puny pitiful fools. Let's start with bushy brows' Shukaku laughed evilly as he used Gaara's motor skills.

Deep down, somewhere in one of the sub conscious chambers, Gaara pleaded desperately for Shukaku to stop. Shukaku just chuckled and told the boy not to worry.

He wouldn't cause too much pain. Gaara screamed out of fury and anger. Shukaku paused for a moment when he felt the boy's rising anger.

'Shut up and stop whining' ordered Shukaku. Gaara pierced into the demon's mind and finally took control. Shukaku protested loudly but decided it was useless now that Gaara was awake. "Hey…he's coming around. I hope he's alright…his chakra was a totally different color…" murmured Lee. Gaara saw fazed visions of people standing around him.

He groaned, his head was pounding as if someone had just clocked him with a two by four. He sat up, completely out of it for today. "I-…what?" He said aloud, asking himself more then he was asking the others. Lee bent down and grabbed Gaara's hand.

"Hey, are you okay Gaara-kun?" he asked soothingly. Gaara felt his cheeks flare with embarrassment. He tugged his hand away, still unsure what was going on or why he did what he did.

"Yeah…I'm fine. A little out of it but yeah I'm fine" his voice was indifferent and awkward, like he didn't fit in and tried to.

Lee looked hurt which made Gaara feel sick. He couldn't hurt Lee, but apparently he just did. "Lee, how about you take him outside for some fresh air? He seems like he needs it" Said the Gym teacher.

He watched as Lee helped Gaara up and they both walked outside the main doors and out into the cloudy morning.

Once they were outside, Gaara collapsed. Lee caught him with ease, his reflexes were tense and his nerves were shaved.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lee asked again, staring at Gaara with caring concern. Gaara turned away, his face a pale red. "Yeah..." Gaara said quietly. Lee gave him a look as if he were saying, "Tell the truth or I'll gouge your eyes out" so Gaara gave a low sigh.

"No. I'm really tired. I haven't been doing well and I've been sleeping, which isn't good for me…I shouldn't be sleeping at all. I've been so confused-"

"Confused about what?" asked Lee quietly, His eyes resembled those of an abandoned puppy. Gaara glanced at him and smirked.

"Don't play dumb. I'm confused about what I want…"

"Well it isn't that confusing Gaara"

"You would be surprised"

"Oh yeah? Well I can stop your confusing feelings" Lee said slowly, an evil little smirk crossing his lips. Gaara felt the hair on his neck stand up.

He did not like this calamity. He felt as though Lee were a tiger stalking a small child, which was Gaara.

"Oh? Well I think the only way to stop my con-"Gaara sputtered inside of Lee's mouth. Lee pinned him to the wall and laid a passionate, lust hungry kiss on him.

Gaara felt the shivers run up his spine. He tingled from the tips of his fingers to the tips of his toes. Something unknown made Gaara lift his hands and place them on Lee's face. He tugged Lee in closer, returning the lust fueled kiss.

Lee didn't even warn Gaara as he shoved his tongue into his mouth, venturing into the depths of Gaara's wet caverns.

Gaara let out a small moan, backing into the cement wall of the school. The cold breeze played with Gaara's hair, tickling the side of Lee's face.

Lee smiled as he pushed it away with his hand, but then let his hand run through and gently grip Gaara's red hair, massaging his scalp seductively.

Gaara played with Lee's ear lobe, he was giving in to Lee. Lee let his other free hand explore Gaara's figure, feelings the decent abdomen muscles.

His hand slithered down to Gaara's belt. Gaara's eyes shot open, broken from the passionate spell as Lee made his way further down Gaara's body.

Gaara started to speak when Lee aggressively shoved Gaara into the wall and started taking the dominate side. Gaara wanted to stop; He didn't want to be attached anymore to Lee, not now.

But Gaara couldn't deny it anymore; he needed someone like Lee in his life, someone that would save him from himself.

Lee slid his hands under the belt and under Gaara's liners. Gaara gasped, Lee's hands were horribly cold, yet Gaara felt his heart beat as Lee massaged his manhood.

Lee kept on taking control, and Gaara didn't mind it. He wouldn't know what to do if he had. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!" came that loud, irritating voice. Naruto was standing there at the doors, luckily he was alone.

Lee broke away from Gaara, his face as red a tomato. Gaara turned his gaze towards the trees. His face was pale but his cheeks glowed with a brilliant red of pink.

"I-I-I- I…we …uhm…"Lee was stuttering harshly, his words were caught in his throat which made it obvious they were doing something they weren't supposed to be doing.

Naruto laughed and fell to the floor, holding his stomach tightly. He was roaring with laughter when Gaara decided to shove sand in his open mouth.

"Shut up Naruto, It's not like you and Uchiha don't do that…" he said quietly, his voice was filled with shame. Well more like embarrassment. Naruto laughed but it was muffled. Lee smiled at Gaara and Gaara returned it with a smirk. Lee thought about when Gaara actually smiled at him. 'Maybe it was because he was half conscious, or else he'd never smile at me' Lee thought as he stared at the rolling Naruto and the expressionless Gaara.

He felt content and happy with these two. He was going to say something when the lunch bell rang. They only had on class in the morning and one class in the afternoon because they were almost two hours and forty minutes long each.

And on day two they had their other subjects, like Gaara had P.E and English on day two's and Physics and Math on day one's.

Right now it was lunch, so Gaara removed the sand from Naruto's mouth and started to walk off with Lee when Naruto caught up and stared him in the eyes.

"You told me you didn't like him. Hah! Now I know for a fact you do!" He said victoriously. Gaara shifted his glance at Lee.

"What's it to you?" he asked, smirking up at the tall boy. Naruto chuckled and shook his head. "Maybe now you can get your life organized, all you needed was some attention" said Naruto as they walked side by side.

Lee was busy thinking so it was up to Naruto and Gaara to hold a conversation. "What's that supposed to mean? Me and you…was that just…for your sake?" Gaara asked cautiously, ready to hear the truth again.

Nothing good in his life was true, it was either an illusion of wishful thinking made up by others or Gaara himself, or it was the lies that were planted into Gaara's head.

Naruto's eyes widened, understanding came into his eyes. "Oh no, I mean like…someone you can actually be with in general…I can't be with you because I'm with Sasuke" Gaara nodded, finding this reasonably true.

They made their way around the school when Lee suddenly booked it the other way. Gaara turned and so did Naruto. "Hey bushy brows! HEY! COME BACK HERE!" cried Naruto as they both ran towards Lee.

They ran for a good ten minutes when Naruto said he was going to look for Sasuke. "Okay, well I'm sure I know where Lee is, I'll talk to you later" He said as he turned and jogged off towards the small cluster of trees.

He was in the clearing when he saw Lee sitting on a rock by the brook. Gaara walked over to him and sat down without saying a word.

Lee turned and gave him a small smile. Gaara smiled back, Lee grinned. "How come you ran off?" Gaara asked.

The sun was finally breaking through the clouds. "Because I saw Hojji" Lee said as he laughed. Gaara also chuckled.

"I see" He said as he leaned back, falling on the grass and looking up at the sky. Lee did the same, but put his arm around Gaara.

"Gaara, how come you're so scared to let me in? Do I scare you?" He asked, looking into Gaara's eyes. The sun was now out and shimmering down on them with warmth.

"No…That's not it. I can't explain it…" He said softly. Lee nodded and turned to fully face Gaara. "Okay. Then I'll wait for you, I don't care how long it takes, I'm going to make sure you're mine" Lee said determinedly as he leaned over and kissed Gaara softly, not filled with passion, but filled with understanding and caring.

Gaara felt his stomach flutter up to his throat and returned the kiss. They lay there under the warmth of the sun, Lee's arm around Gaara's shoulder.

A small butterfly fluttered around them, circling them innocently. Its green and white wings shone under the sun, glistening brightly.

This made Gaara feel light hearted, as if nothing was wrong in the world. He felt content, maybe even happiness. He knew for sure that Lee was the one.


	3. Chapter 3 a burning passion ascends

**Previously:** _"Gaara, how come you're so scared to let me in? Do I scare you?" He asked, looking into Gaara's eyes. The sun was now out and shimmering down on them with warmth. "No…That's not it. I can't explain it…" He said softly. Lee nodded and turned to fully face Gaara. "Okay. Then I'll wait for you, I don't care how long it takes, I'm going to make sure you're mine" Lee said determinedly as he leaned over and kissed Gaara softly, not filled with passion, but filled with understanding and caring. Gaara felt his stomach flutter up to his throat and returned the kiss. They lay there under the warmth of the sun, Lee's arm around Gaara's shoulder. A small butterfly fluttered around them, circling them innocently. Its green and white wings shone under the sun, glistening brightly. This made Gaara feel light hearted, as if nothing was wrong in the world. He felt content, maybe even happiness. He knew for sure that Lee was the one. _

-------------------------- A burning passion ascends: chapter 3--------------------------------

Lee was sitting on one of the stairs outside the tall wooden doors; he was early for school because he didn't want to waste any time with Gaara.

He sighed to himself as he brushed his hair out of his eyes he was still very tired from walking. He had never felt so damn lazy in his life.

He was gazing down at the bus loop and toward iron gates where vehicles and students entered the school grounds.

His eyes fell upon the red headed boy with the black book bag walking towards him. He recognized the boy as Gaara. He leaped up and off of the stairs and ran towards Gaara with an expression of pure happiness and excitement of finally seeing him.

Lee jumped on Gaara, causing both of them to go sprawling to the ground. Since no one was around, Lee looked at Gaara for a moment and then kissed him, pressing hard onto Gaara's lips.

Gaara laughed and gently pushed Lee off of him. "Good morning" Gaara said nonchalantly, standing up and brushing the leaves and dry dirt off of his uniform.

Lee smiled and embraced Gaara with a heart-felt hug. "You're looking a little thin Gaara-kun. Since it is Friday why don't you come over?" He asked, Glancing at Gaara as he blushed once again for him.

Gaara smirked but then the corners of his mouth inclined further into a curl to make a smile. "Okay, meet me right here after school, I have some spending money so we can rent a movie or a video game" He told him as they both walked towards the school.

Lee grinned and patted Gaara on the shoulder. "Okay sounds like a decent plan" He said happily, grabbing hold of Gaara's hand. Gaara blushed but this time he didn't pull away.

'He's loosening up; maybe soon I can finally stop trying so hard. Maybe I can finally be with him openly and stop having to plead with him' Lee thought with deep curiosity.

It was as if Gaara was reading Lee's thoughts because he also enclosed his fingers around Lee's. Gaara was also thinking to himself about their odd relationship. 'Maybe he actually does care for me, or else why would he be going through so much trouble?' he asked himself.

They finally got to the stairs and sat down. The cement was cold and made Gaara shivered, who was barely ever used to being cold since He originated from Sunagakure. Lee lifted his arm and placed it around Gaara's waist, trying to keep him warm enough to stop shivering.

"Well isn't that cute?" Naruto said to himself as he spotted the two sitting on the stairs. Naruto was by the vast green patches of grass and small bushes, making his way closer to the doors.

"I wish Sasuke could be like Lee. Gaara's lucky enough to have him and he doesn't even notice it" Naruto said with envy. He had been so neglected by Sasuke lately because Sasuke was obsessing over Lee.

Naruto know for a fact that Sasuke liked Lee, but Naruto decided that it couldn't be helped and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

"Hey guys" Naruto said as he climbed the stair and sat down beside the two. Lee didn't even make a gesture to remove his arm off of Gaara's waist as Naruto sat beside him.

"Morning. So how was your day yesterday?"Lee asked, glancing down at Gaara to see if Gaara was scowling or just blankly staring over at the lush green field. Thankfully Gaara was just gazing out towards the field, not blankly, but thoughtfully.

"Uhm, it was alright I guess. I went to training with Kakashi sensei and trained for eight hours straight. My muscles are all in knots today" Naruto said as he played with a leaf that had strayed from the field.

Lee laughed and Gaara made an odd noise. Naruto smiled and stared out at the field. "So…how are you and…Sasuke" asked Lee nervously. Naruto looked at him with an odd expression. "We-well I can't say we're better off than usual" He said softly, his eyes lowering towards his feet.

Lee's heart went out to the blonde boy who was casting his glance down at the cold cement. He knew what it was like. Knowing your partner was cheating on you behind your back was emotionally damaging.

Gaara suddenly spoke up, not intentionally, but something was obviously one his mind. "Naruto, do you even know Uchiha is cheating on you?" He asked, not meaning to sound so hurtful.

Naruto glared at him. "Yes I know stupid! I'm not as dumb as you all make me out to be" Protesting he turned around and faced Gaara. Gaara pulled his head back and his mouth was slightly open.

"Maybe you should open up to him and talk to him about it and then may-"Gaara was cut off by Naruto's frustrated outburst. "Who are you to give me advice when you don't even notice how much the kid beside you likes you?! Are you that fucking blind?! Can't you see how much he likes you?" He asked loudly, tears now streaming down his face.

Gaara's eyes widened in surprise. "I- well…" He didn't know what to say because he knew it was true. He wasn't one to give advice when he was trying so hard to block the only one that understood him (except Naruto) and liked him for who he was.

Naruto wiped the tears off of his cheeks. "You shouldn't take Lee's feelings for granted. You can't make him wait forever" He told Gaara with a serious voice that was rarely ever heard.

Gaara stared at Naruto intensely; his eyes were thoughtful as they were cast down. He felt his heart sink as Lee turned his gaze towards the opposite direction, away from Gaara.

Gaara went to go grab Lee's hand that was still placed around his waist. Lee glanced at Gaara as Gaara's hand went for his. Lee pulled his arm away from him and stood up. "I…I have to go for a walk" Lee said sadly. He looked as if he were about to cry.

Gaara reached out to grab Lee's wrist but Lee trotted down the stairs and Gaara was too late. Gaara felt as if his heart had just been crushed by a poisonous weight that pumped the poison through his veins. He felt the heat of anger rise up in his body.

Naruto had left and Gaara had not noticed this until his anger had subsided to a simmer. 'It's all my fault. Why does Naruto have to be so damn honest? Why can't I just be swallowed by my own hatred and loneliness so no one can get hurt by me?' he asked himself sorrowfully.

-00-

Gaara had come to the crazy conclusion that it he who was hurting everyone, which made them dislike him in such a way. He felt as if he was the last one standing, all alone and only able to love himself. He didn't like this feeling of lonesome, he wished it would go away or he would just die.

All through the day Lee had avoided Gaara. He felt as if hearing what Naruto said made the feelings for Gaara evaporate.

He knew Gaara was aware that Lee had strong feelings for him, but Lee didn't expect Gaara to be blocking him out, trying to stop his own feelings out of hatred and hurt. 'What is wrong with him anyway? He seems so…lonely…so afraid' Lee thought sadly.

Their classes passed so fast it seemed like only an hour had gone by. Lee was just heading out the big wooden doors when Gaara aggressively shoved him to the wall.

"what are you doing Gaara?!" cried Lee as his back made contact with the hard cemented wall. Gaara glared at him, tears shimmering in the light. His light green eyes were like knives to Lee's heart.

"why have you been avoiding me all day?! I can't handle this, I'm going to freak out if I don't know what you feel or why you're doing this! I just…can't" his voice cracked, Lee knew Gaara was about to bleed his heart out.

"I- you…I don't know what I feel…I don't mean to hurt you, or make you confused and stressed." Lee said, and then he looked into Gaara's eyes with a serious expression.

"But you can't keep blocking me out, pushing me away, giving me mixed signals! I can't keep going like this! If you're not going to let me in, then you can forget about me completely!"

Gaara's eyes were wide now, a few tears had made their way out of the corners of his eyes and trailed down his cheek. He bowed his head, not able to meet Lee's gaze.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Lee asked bitterly. He was angry now. He was at Gaara, but mostly himself for believing he could break through Gaara's barriers.

Gaara looked up, now fully crying. He hated it, but he couldn't stop the constant pressure on his eyes. "I'm afraid…I haven't felt this way about anyone-it's..it's so new to me and I don't want to get hurt. More or less, I don't want to hurt you"

Lee moved his hand up to Gaara's cheek and wiped away a tear with the pad of his thumb. "Why are you scared? I'll never hurt you, I can't even if I tried. I won't disappoint you…just please…please just let me in" Now Lee was close to crying because the feelings inside of him were driving him mad.

Gaara turned his head and planted his gaze to the cement. "I…I don't know if you will understand why" He said softly. He didn't want to tell Lee. He thought Lee would tear away from him, like so many others did.

Lee furrowed his brow in anger. "Why do you have to be so pessimistic?! I'm trying Gaara, I'm trying so damn hard! I just want to be with you! Whatever it takes, I'll do it! I'll do it just so I can have you!" He cried, he was holding himself in a self embrace now, trying to hug away all the hurt.

Gaara glared at Lee. He couldn't stand to see Lee like this, so weak and pathetic. "I'm just telling you that you might not understand. No one understood me…and when I told them, they all left, fleeing from me as if I was a epidemic disease" he said bitterly, remembering how his father had so many times tried to assassinate him.

Lee's expression softened. "I promise you, whatever it is…I won't back out. I'll stick by you" He said, offering a small smile of assurance.

Gaara smiled back tearfully. "For so many years I haven't felt love. My life is so messed up it isn't funny. My mothers' dead, my dad tried assassinating me when I was six because I'm possessed by Shukaku, the one tailed demon. I killed lots of people including my uncle who supposedly loved me but tried to assassinate me under fathers' orders. My siblings I've hated most my life, but now we're on good terms. Naruto hurt me by playing with my emotions. I can't sleep because Shukaku will take control of me and murder everyone, that's why my eyes are like this. For the longest time I remember that I only felt alive when I killed. I've killed over a hundred people and most for no reason. I'm also a social reject." Gaara sighed and took a deep breath before going on.

"I'm a monster. I don't deserve to experience love. I don't deserve to love back. I should just waste away…" he finished bitterly, now looking at Lee with a sad, serious expression.

Lee stared at him in disbelief for a moment. Gaara was almost certain Lee was going to push past him and tear off down the pathway.

But to Gaara's surprise, Lee enveloped him in a tight hug, securing him from all the hurt he had experienced. "I love you so much and I don't care what you did, I love you just the way you are" Lee whispered. Gaara almost fainted.

Gaara felt the tears run down his face, as if a river had been dug behind his eyes and started flowing down to a waterfall out of his eyes. Lee pulled back and gave Gaara a long kiss.

Gaara returned it with the same amount of caring. He was sure he was ready to let Lee in. Lee smiled at Gaara gently, telling Gaara with his eyes that everything was okay.

"The bells' going to ring soon and you'll be late for class Lee" Gaara said, now giving Lee a wide grin. It was so relieving to Gaara. He had never smiled all that much, and he certainly had never grinned sanely.

"Yeah you're right. You still coming to my house though right?" Lee asked, smiling at him brightly.

"Of course!" Gaara said nonchalantly. With that the two boys departed from each other, leaving to separate classes for the end of the school day.

-00-

After school Lee and Gaara met up as planned. "Hey" Lee said and Gaara returned the greeting. They watched as the students poured out of the doors and to their rides or to the bus waiting in front of the school.

"You ready?" Lee asked. He gestured towards the sidewalk leading to the iron gates. Gaara nodded, "Yeah let's go" He said. They started making their way towards the gates when Naruto stopped them with his crazy grin.

"Hey! What are you guys doing tonight? I was wondering..since I broke up with Sas-" Naruto was cut off by both of the boys' mouth gaping open.

"You broke up with Uchiha?" asked Gaara with a dismayed tone of voice. Naruto nodded solemnly and then brightened up, "Yeah, and now I have a hot date with Hyuuga Neji! I know he isn't exactly known around the school, but rumor has it he's liked me for a long time"

Lee and Gaara exchanged looks. "Doesn't Neji like shino?" asked Lee to Gaara. They both remembered Neji talking to the other boy about shino the first day Lee arrived at the school.

Naruto shook his head. "Yeah he liked shino and asked shino out, but you know how shino is… he secretly likes Chouji" He said, smiling brightly.

Gaara shook his head. "You need to catch up bud. Chouji and Shikamaru are together. Didn't you know? And besides..shino is with Kiba" Gaara looked at Naruto awkwardly.

"What?! No way! Since when? I thought Shikamaru was with Ino from the girls' school and Kiba with Hinata! Shino and Chouji hang out like everyday!! WHAT THE HELL" Naruto exclaimed, not annoyed that he was so far behind with old news.

"I guess hanging out with Sasuke took your mind off of your other friends" Lee said Haughtily. Naruto furrowed his brows in an irritated way.

"Yeah, stupid Sasuke" Naruto said loudly. Just then Sasuke pushed past him, looking furious as ever. Naruto cringed but then paused. "Yeah he's really stupid" He said louder. Sasuke just kept walking.

"Anyways, I was wondering if you guys wanted to hang out with me and Neji" Naruto carried on to the topic. Gaara and Lee exchanged glances.

"I don't know, I don't think tonight is good. Maybe tomorrow" Lee said apologetically. Gaara looked away and watched as two boys fought over one of the girls' that was walking home from the neighboring school.

"You ever heard from Sakura-Chan?" Gaara suddenly asked. He remembered how much Naruto had liked her in elementary school. Naruto would chase her around asking for a kiss like every recess.

"Oh…yeah. She's old news. Did you hear who she was going out with?" Naruto asked, now suddenly interested in Sakura.

Gaara shook his head. "Who?" He asked. He was only slightly interested, He had always been fond of Sakura, she had baked him brownies on a number of occasions.

"She's going out with Morino Idate!" Naruto burst out laughing and Gaara sniggered. Lee just looked confused because he knew nothing of those names. "That's funny" Gaara said, still chuckling to himself.

"Ohh yeah" Naruto was dancing on both feet with laughter. Gaara knew Naruto to do this often. Gaara glanced at Lee and knew it was time to go.

"Okay, well we're just going to hang out at Lee's tonight" Gaara said as he turned away. Naruto paused from laughing for a moment. "Could we come by later?" He asked, looking at Lee.

Lee nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "Yeah..the more the merrier" He said impishly as He and Gaara turned and walked off.

Naruto smiled devilishly, "yes…yes it is" He said to himself. He turned and jumped on the bus before it left.

-00-

"What movie should we get?" asked Gaara. Lee smiled and kept browsing the aisles and aisles of movies. "I don't know…I like horror films" He said casually as he side stepped down the aisle.

Gaara gave a look of nervousness. Every time he saw blood it made him edgy. He seemed to have stopped craving blood for some time now, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"Oh yeah, they're okay I guess" He replied. He didn't want to disappoint Lee tonight, so he thought he would start with taking a risk and watching a horror film.

They walked down the aisles for a while until Lee came upon one movie that had a creepy looking face on the cover. It was called 'Otsuyu'. Lee grabbed it right away and ran towards the desk.

"Good evening" Said the young girl behind the desk. She looked Lee and Gaara up and down seductively. She was quite good looking, maybe she went to the girls' school or a public one.

"Same to you" Lee said. Gaara just nodded and stared at the multiple posters. The girl smiled at him. He returned it with a soft smile, he was really calm and his spirits were high. "Have a good night" She called as they retrieved the movie and left.

"Yeah…you too" Gaara said as he caught her eye for a moment. Gaara couldn't help but think about the girl during the whole ride home to Lee's house. "So are you stoked or what?!" asked Lee excitedly. Gaara nodded and smiled at Lee. "Yeah, looks good" He replied.

Lee was silent the whole time, his attention fixed on the road. Gaara shifted uncomfortably, placing his hand on the dashboard absent-mindedly. "You know…usually I wouldn't like this silence between us, but tonight…I don't know it's just really relaxing" Lee thought aloud. His voice was distant, as if he was in another realm or dimension. Gaara simply nodded as they drove on. 'I'm not stoked for this movie…I hope there's no blood' Gaara thought darkly to himself.

-00-

"Popcorns ready" Lee said cheerfully. He walked into the living room and placed the large bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. The preview had already started and Gaara was happily leaned back on the couch.

Lee smiled as he sat next to Gaara, placing one arm over Gaara and the other on the armchair of the couch. Gaara looked at him and gave a small relaxed smile. "Thanks for having me over tonight" He said as he leaned back on the couch.

Lee furrowed his brow impishly and pulled Gaara on to his lap. Gaara let out an odd noise but didn't decline. "Oh hey, the movie's starting" Lee declared. Gaara rolled his eyes and became silent.

-00-

"Hmm. That was probably the most retarded movie I've ever seen" Gaara said thoughtfully. He was thankful there was minimal to no blood, but the story plot could have been better. Lee nodded and got off the couch.

"What're you doing Lee?" Gaara asked curiously. Lee looked over his shoulder and smiled. Gaara furrowed his "brows" and went back to thinking.

Meanwhile, Lee was now on the carpet, bent over and grabbing a box. He pulled out cords, a machine, two controllers, and a case that looked a lot like a DVD case.

Gaara's eyes brightened. It was an X-box 360, something He'd been saving his money for, for a long time now. "Hm. I hope you like being owned, because I'm the professional when it comes to Halo 3" Lee cockily said. Gaara frowned with mock disgust.

"Yeah? You want to bet your life on that? I'll dominate you" He said, his voice challenging. Lee raised his busy brows in surprise. "You dare to take me on?" he asked, as if he was giving Gaara one last chance to back out.

Gaara stood up and pushed Lee playfully. "Yeah I do" He said as he dropped to the floor and picked up a controller. "It's already hooked up, so all I gotta do is press this little button and then…" Lee carried off as he bent down and pressed the button.

"It turns on and now…WE PLAY!" he finished fiercely. Gaara rolled his eyes. "Okay but don't hate me when I win"

"Oh I'm sure it's the other way around for that line"

"Oh really…well we'll see" He said, laughing to himself.

Lee glared at Gaara darkly. 'I will not lose' He thought determinedly. He glanced at Gaara handling the controllers. He noticed that Gaara had the right "stance" (Or so this is what Lee made up in order to be the greatest "gamer" of all time Gaara rolls eyes).

-00-

"AWW! DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT! YOU CHEATED!" Lee flared. HHrfrgfgegv is eyes wide and his brows furrowed deeply with jealousy. Gaara only offered Lee a small smug smirk as he stood up and shut off the game. "Calm down child, it's just a game"

Lee pouted and sat on the couch. He refused to talk to Gaara through most of the night. Gaara only laughed because he knew perfectly well Lee was mad at him for winning.

He looked at Lee and smiled, tilting his head slightly. He sat beside him and was silent for a moment.

Lee noticed this and blushed; he turned away so he didn't have to be caught in one of Gaara's little spells again. Gaara moved closer to him and whispered in his ear.

"It isn't your fault you suck so badly" He whispered. Lee turned around furiously; ready to strike Gaara in the back of the head. To his surprise, Gaara was still inches from him and when he turned to hit him, their lips met.

Gaara's eyes shot wide open as their lips embraced. Lee was blushing madly and Gaara was as red as a tomato. Gaara pulled back and tried to break the kiss. But Lee held tight to Gaara's sleeve.

Gaara's eyes were still wide with shock. He was so caught off guard as Lee devoured him. Gaara felt his body turn to rubber as Lee pushed Gaara back on the couch gently.

Lee pushed his lips harder on Gaara's. Despite he was still grouchy from losing, this was the best time he had ever had. His hands ran through Gaara's hair and trailed down his slender body.

Gaara shivered as Lee's hands went to his stomach. The heat between them was clear. Gaara blushed and let out a soft groan as Lee placed his hand between Gaara's legs. The heat of Lee's hand made Gaara's manhood stiff.

Gaara's hands were thinking through instinct and desire as they travelled up and around Lee's back. Gaara felt the rippling of Lee's muscles as Lee moved slightly, positioning himself in a more comfortable way.

Gaara felt really feverish. His temperature was hot but he didn't feel sick. Maybe this was…lust? Gaara couldn't tell. He made his way to Lee's groin and slid his hand under Lee's boxers. Lee let out a gasp but didn't complain. Both boys were still kissing, their tongues battling for dominance.

**Authors' note:** there will be some smut coming in one of the next chapters, where things heat up more, etc. I hope you like the story so far Chapters 4 and 5 are coming soon!

P.S: REVIEW PLEASE!! I'd like to hear opinions (Bad or good) and Ideas that you may want to suggest. See ya!


	4. Chapter 4 Malice and lust intertwined

**Previously:** _Gaara felt really feverish. His temperature was hot but he didn't feel sick. Maybe this was…lust? Gaara couldn't tell. He made his way to Lee's groin and slid his hand under Lee's boxers. Lee let out a gasp but didn't complain. Both boys were still kissing, their tongues battling for dominance_

------------------------------- Malice and lust intertwined: Chapter four---------------------------------

Gaara awoke to Lee's soft snoring. He fell asleep again, but this time it didn't feel as if Shukaku had woken up either.

He looked over towards Lee who was laying half on the bed and half on the ground. The evening had been intense and long.

Gaara trembled with physical exhaustion as he lifted himself up onto the pillow that was propped up against the headboard.

He winced as he lowered himself onto the softness of the feather duvet. 'Damn it all…I guess with pleasure comes with pain' Gaara thought, letting a soft chuckle escape his thirsty cracked lips.

Lee rolled over and made a quiet mutter. His hair was askew and matted against his forehead. Gaara smiled and brushed it away.

Gaara felt insecure about the events that followed the movie. He wasn't sure whether or not he should leave or stay. Either one could destroy what mental stability he had left.

He gazed around. The room was drowned out by the milky moonlight shining in through the open window. The white curtains danced in the light breeze, making Gaara feel relaxed and sleepy.

"So damn white" Gaara said to himself as he got up and found his way to the bathroom connected to Lee's room.

Gaara flicked the light switch on slowly. "Damn it!" Gaara hissed with pain. The light was too bright for his eyes because he was so accustomed to the darkness of Lee's room.

He waited while his eyes adjusted to the light. He sighed, placing his hands on the counter of the sink and bowing his head. He raised his eyes to the mirror and looked at his reflection.

What he saw was his demon. The demon in him. He knew one day he would succumb to it. He would give in and never return to being himself.

"Hey!" Gaara cried as two cold hands ran up his naked skin. He turned and saw Lee behind him. His back tingled as Lee's hands caressed it gently.

"Hello" Lee said softly as he kissed Gaara on the cheek lightly. Gaara smiled ands turned around. " don't you ever sleep?" He asked jokingly as he turned back to the sink.

"Yes…don't you?" Lee asked, grabbing Gaara's arm and gently spinning him around. Gaara looked into Lee's eyes and smirked.

"I do…" He said quietly, reluctant towards Lee. He saw the look in Lee's eyes. He knew what that look meant.

Lee reached in, grabbing Gaara's chin lightly and pulling him forward. Gaara didn't decline. Lee kissed him softly at first and then hardened the kiss, accelerating Gaara's lust greatly.

"I love you…." Lee said softly between breaths. Gaara's eyes shot wide open. He had forgotten that Lee truly loved him. It was odd at first, but then Gaara said it back with the same affection.

"I…I love you too" He said hesitantly. If Lee noticed, he didn't show it. Lee ran his fingers through Gaara's hair and explored his body.

Gaara let out soft noises of pleasure as Lee gently gripped his manhood, rubbing the tip of his head soothingly, as if massaging away the ache of lust.

Gaara shuddered and Lee quickened the motion. Lee knew what buttons to press and how hard to press them.

Lee smiled as he gripped Gaara's zipper and pulled it down. He stripped off Gaara's uniform, leaving Gaara standing in the bathroom in only his boxers.

Lee pulled Gaara's manhood out, letting the cold air brush against it. Gaara let out a low groan as he placed his hands back on the counter.

"Don't stop me. If you stop me, I will seriously injure you" He said menacingly as he whipped down Gaara's boxers. Gaara realized what Lee was about to do.

Gaara tried pulling back but Lee pinned him down. Gaara didn't see any reason to try further. He relaxed his body and waited.

Lee bent down and smirked up at Gaara with a satisfactory stare that made Gaara's stomach flutter with nervousness.

Lee took Gaara's manhood fully in. Lee shuddered as his tongue explored Gaara's manhood. The thickness and warmth radiated off of Gaara's shaft, making Lee sweat slightly as he suckled on the tip of Gaara's head.

Gaara gripped the counter tightly. The pleasure was great as Lee bobbed his head back and forth on his manhood.

'I...I'm going to…right in his…no…I c-can't…' Gaara struggled as he sweat out the resistance. The veins in his groins pumped, sending more and more blood to his swelled manhood.

His sac was pumping more and more semen, making Gaara's head more and more sensitive to Lee's wet mouth. Gaara felt the warmth and softness of Lee's tongue sliding over the tip, gently increasing Gaara's resistance.

"Tch…"Gaara shut his eyes tightly and tilted his head back. He felt the sweat stream down the bridge of his nose and enter his mouth. He had never felt so much pleasure.

Lee got up and wiped his mouth. He smiled as he grabbed Gaara's now limp and exhausted manhood. It was covered in the semen that Gaara could no longer hold in. Gaara panted heavily.

Lee rolled Gaara's sac in his hand, playing with them gently. He squeezed them just enough to make Gaara wince. He smirked, staring down at Gaara with a satisfactory grin.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Lee asked quietly, his voice low and seductive. Gaara nodded slightly. "I-…I'm a bit tired" Gaara gasped in a low wheezy breath. Lee nodded. "It takes a lot to hold it back" He told the younger and more vulnerable boy softly.

Gaara nodded as he pushed himself up. He bent down and picked his boxers up off the ground and holstered them onto his hips. He was about to step out of the bathroom when Lee grabbed him and tackled him to the bed.

"Lee! What are you doing you big goof?!" Gaara cried out irritably as he pushed Lee off of him. Gaara wanted to sleep. He didn't want to stay up and please Lee all night.

Lee looked at him with a hurt expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were actually tired…I just..." He trailed off, turning his gaze towards the window.

Gaara's expression softened as he hugged Lee. "It's alright. I just don't want to…you know...like every time I come over. I'm tired and I really need to lay down" He said softly.

Lee nodded and jumped onto the other side of the bed. He grabbed the blankets and bundled up in them. Gaara lay down and stared up at the ceiling, his thoughts drowning him into a sleepless trance.

'I can't sleep, and I'm not going to' Gaara said as he got up. Lee was snoring softly beside him, making small snot bubbles in the moonlight. It was two forty six in the morning, the night was still young.

He made his way out on the balcony. The cold breeze welcomed his hot cracked lips as he stood there holding onto the railing. He looked around the small strip and saw a flimsy ladder leading up towards the roof.

He smiled and remembered when he was a child, how he used to sit on the roof top of his room a lot. He stepped towards the ladder slowly and climbed to the top of the roof.

The cold breeze caressed his face as he reached the top. The roof was light up by the moonlight, shining brightly in the autumn darkness that drowned the town of Konoha.

He sighed as he lowered himself onto the cold shingles of the roof. He lay back, arms behind his head and fingers laced together.

'Hm. How could such a beautiful planet be filled with horrible creatures like ourselves?' he thought bitterly as he watched a small raccoon scamper up the near by tree.

'It's like…growing a flower and then drowning it with boiling water…just killing it….just like that. Lee seems to be the flower…now that I think of it. I'm slowly killing him with my "boiling water" or I guess…my so called barriers. But…I can help it if I want to tear him to shreds, if I want to slowly kill him….crushing his bones…'

Gaara felt Shukaku awaken. He knew that the thoughts that were now pulsing in his mind were those of Shukaku's. He closed his eyes and waited for Shukaku to stop harassing his mind.

'Rip his limbs one by one…oh the delight that would ensue…' Shukaku rasped with delightful cheer. Gaara sighed and massaged the area between his brow bone.

'Shukaku, do you not have anything better to do than harass my every and very rare happy thought?' He asked inside his head.

The demon paused from his ranting. 'What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you enjoyed my little speeches..my ideas of fun?' Shukaku glared hard into Gaara's mind so that Gaara could actually experience his wrath.

'I used to…but now I guess…I don't crave blood as much as I did back then…'

'Oh so you're saying that spraying blood in the sky isn't fun?'

'Yeah…well no. I don't know! I just don't feel like killing anyone. I somehow…broke free'

'Oh shut up. You'll never change and you know it!'

'I will change. I can already feel it. I feel it in my veins..I can sense it as easily as you can'

'You don't want to change though. Despite how relentless you feel towards Lee, and despite how you've brought your barriers down little by little, you'll never change. All your hatred will soon boil over the edge and will scald everyone in its path, won't it?'

Gaara glared at the roof, but mostly out of confusion and the realization of truth.

'No. No that…that won't happen.'

'Yes, yes oh it will happen. Believe me, I've seen Sasuke before. And I know that he is the one-'

'Shut up'

'Did you- did you just tell me to shut up?'

'yeah'

'oh..'

'so go back to sleep or something, I don't need to be plagued by your horrendous speeches'

'Wait. I have one thing to put into your eyes. Just so that you realize something. I'm not all that crazy and evil you know'

'okay. I'm listening' Gaara thought with a resenting fashion.

'Those people. The ones you call your friends?'

'yeah what about them?'

'well. You made a vow to yourself that they would never find out about your past and you were sure you would not tell them no matter how much they pressed. Well you just broke that vow Sabaku no Gaara. Now your life is more unstable then before. You're completely alone in the world with no one to depend on. You've moved to maybe…ten different schools in mid-terms because of the mocking faces. Their pitying and pathetic eyes crippling you. You don't want to get hurt again do you? You know that Lee and the others will slowly paralyze you. They will steal all of your esteem. Your life is vulnerable now. You've let him in. It's time…Gaara, it's time to cut all of your ties with these sickening people. Let's kill him while he sleeps, it won't hurt. He'll die in peace. He won't even wake up' Shukaku let out a low raspy breath.

Gaara felt his head start to spin. He knew Shukaku was right. But he didn't have the courage to kill Lee.

Even though they hadn't known each other for more then a month, he felt close to Lee. Was it even possible to like someone to that degree?

To know that your heart can be destroyed by that one person and to still be able to have relations with them? How…how could he just kill Lee without batting an eye?

'I can't. I know you're right but I can't!' Gaara told him with great sorrow and frustration.

'You can Gaara…you don't have to kill him. But tell him you do not want to see him ever again. Or you will kill him. Cut your ties'

'F-fine. I'll tell him at school. I…you're right. Of course you're right. You're always right.'

'Yes…I am. And now I'm going to rest. All this tension in my skull has got me tired.'

'alright. Well then go and leave my already confused head alone!' Gaara growled darkly.

Shukaku chuckled. 'Alright'

Once Gaara could no longer sense Shukaku's presence he relaxed his muscles. He furrowed his forehead in confusion. He knew he had to do what Shukaku said in order to live.

"Well I may as well leave then" He said aloud bitterly. He got up and jumped onto the balcony. He crept into Lee's room silently. He grabbed his socks and shoes off of the dresser and put them on hastily.

He knew he would have to go back to his place quickly, so he could rest up for the remaining hours of night and then head off to school.

To school….'where I'll have to face Lee….and tell him' Gaara thought nervously. He frowned and went back to tying his shoes.

He looked at lee one last time, taking in the innocence Lee had possessed. He was going to miss him. "Good bye…Lee" He said quietly as he turned his eyes towards the door.

He pushed the door open slightly, just enough to slip through. He looked back, paralyzed as he watched the sleeping boy. He sighed and walked out, closing the door behind him.

-00-

Walking to school was one of the things that Hinata Hyuuga did most. She carried her book bag on one shoulder and a whole stack of text books in her other arm.

She smiled as she dodged the puddles from last nights' rain. 'I'm so happy to be going to a new school! To a new place where no one knows me. Where no one can…' Her thoughts were cut off as she bumped into another body.

She fell, bruising her elbow as it hit the ground with a loud crack. "Oww!" She cried. She gripped her elbow tightly, tears falling down on her new school uniform.

"Sorry. Here, grab my hand" Said a soft voice from above her. She looked up and saw a tall boy with dark red hair standing before her.

Hinata blushed and grabbed his hand lightly. She was frail, easy to lift up. The boy lifted her up with no effort.

"You okay?" He asked her quietly. His expression was blank, as if someone had drained all of his feelings.

Hinata nodded. "Y-yes" She stuttered, still holding her elbow. The boy reached out and grabbed it gently. "Your arm's bleeding though…" he said as he looked up at her.

Hinata's belongings were still askew on the ground. She let out a small gasp when she looked down.

"Oh no! my stuff…it's…they're all wet…and I just got them…" She trailed off, bending down and desperately gathering her stuff.

The boy also bent down. "I'm Sabaku no Gaara" He said, looking into her mauve eyes. Hinata blushed, making the boy smirk.

"I- I'm Hinata Hyuuga…thank you…or…eh… " She looked at him apologetically. Gaara nodded. "Well, I have to get to school…I can't be late" He told her as he finished picking her things up.

Hinata nodded, unable to speak a word. "Thank you Gaara-san" blushing, she bowed. Gaara raised his forehead, wondering why she was being so formal. "Err. You're welcome?"

Hinata looked up and blushed once again (She did this a lot because she never really talked to anyone)"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have bowed…I really, I really didn't mean to…I just-"

"Just say 'bye' and we'll all be happy" He said as he offered her a soft smile. He rarely smiled, but now that he had met two wonderful people, he seemed to do it more often.

"Oh…Ehehehe…sorry..oh..I-I mean…Bye Gaara-san-"

"And just call me Gaara" He told her sternly. Hinata smiled and rushed off, turning around to wave at the red haired boy one more time.

'Who was he? I wish I went to his school. I don't want to go to some school with a lot of girls. I'll just be picked on again…no one ever liked me before' she thought miserably as she brushed off the debris from her uniform.

She was wearing a white top with a black blazer and a red tie. Her school skirt was also black, but her tights were a shear white. She looked behind her to see if the boy was still there.

Oddly enough Gaara was surprised to have run into a girl that didn't squeal every time she saw him. He was relieved when she walked away, blushing like crazy but not tackling him to the ground going "Kawaii!!!" all over him.

He grabbed his fallen things and took the quickest path across the elementary field and towards his school. The grass was wet, making his feet chilly and a bit damp.

'Stupid winter….' He thought miserably to himself. He looked up from watching the ground and saw his school's gates not even one hundred yards away.

'Thank god. I still have twenty five minutes to hang out…but ...' Gaara shook his head and kept walking. Not even a minute and he was already through the gates.

A voice from up ahead called out Gaara's name, "Gaara!". Gaara looked up and saw Lee running towards him. Gaara glared at the ground and waited for Lee to hit him with a heavy bodies hug.

Gaara fell to the ground. Usually he would just laugh and smile and kiss Lee back. But he remembered what Shukaku warned, and he didn't bother to do any of the "usual" actions.

Lee smiled down at him, blushing slightly. "Sorry Gaara-kun!" he said apologetically. Gaara just looked at him. Lee cocked his head, wondering why Gaara had a sudden personality change.

"Gaara-san? Something wrong?" Lee asked with a concerned tone. Gaara shook his head and forced a bleak smile. "Nothing's wrong. You're always worrying about me…you should stop it once in a while" He told Lee quietly, not able to look into his eyes.

Lee sat up across from him. They were both on the pavement, legs sprawled and hands behind them to support their postures. "Well. I'm supposed to worry. I mean…what if you tried doing something drastic? Like say…you tried running away form me just to be with a secret lover…or maybe…wait no! Maybe what if you were hiding something terrible form me and you avoided me? Yeah something terrible…like…" Lee kept going unremittingly.

Gaara rolled his eyes disbelief etched across his face. "Lee shut up!" Gaara said loudly. He was annoyed suddenly. He suddenly couldn't stand Lee. He was maybe just an inch from hurting him.

'There you go again! Waking up and making me hate everyone! I'M AT SCHOOL DAMN IT!' Gaara snarled through his teeth at Shukaku.

Shukaku merely smiled and brushed it off his shoulder. 'Sorry if I don't sleep profusely' he replied in a smug matter.

Gaara gritted his teeth with frustration. 'just go back to sleep'

'Nope' Shukaku responded by throwing a piece of an animal's bone at him.

'just leave me the hell alone! You're so annoying coming around me like that! Give me some air will you?!' Gaara shouted.

Lee looked at him with the saddest expression on his face. Gaara didn't realize what he had said to Shukaku was spoken out loud.

Lee got up slowly; the look in his eye could almost suffocate one in their own grief. Gaara looked on, watching Lee walk away stiffly. He just accomplished the one thing that he thought he couldn't.

-00-

Naruto walked past the group of boys sniggering at him. He knew it was because he was hanging around with the snobby Neji Hyuuga. He didn't care though. No one should.

He was walking down the hall when he saw Gaara standing by his locker. Alone. Naruto quirked a brow but kept on walking.

"Hello" He said merrily. He was always happy to see Gaara, mainly because Gaara was always bitter and Naruto knew that he could cheer the miserable bastard up.

Gaara glanced at him from the corner of his eye. His arms were crossed and he had no expression on his face or body. "What do you want?" Gaara asked darkly, glaring slightly at Naruto with resenting eyes.

Naruto was surprised that Gaara was this cranky. "I…well I dunno, I always say hi to you Gaara-san" he said uncertainly. He wasn't sure what exactly was pulling on his sleeve, telling him to leave immediately.

'It's because the one tailed demon Shukaku has awakened' Kyuubi thought sternly. Naruto smiled. He had taken a fond affection towards the big murderous fox. 'Yeah, maybe…I don't know but whatever's eating him it can't be good for the health' Naruto replied nonchalantly.

Gaara suddenly disappeared when Naruto returned from the deep chambers of his mind. He looked around for a moment and spotted Lee alone too. He thought this as very strange because Lee was always nipping at Gaara's heels.

"Hey Lee" Naruto said evenly. Lee looked up and gave Naruto a lamentable glance. "Hi?" He said as he stood up. Suddenly Naruto realized why Gaara was bitterer then ever and why Lee looked so bleak.

"So…how're things with uh…you and Gaara-san?" Naruto asked in a small weary voice. Lee turned his head. "What're you talking about? That guy is just a big bag of bitterness and misery" Lee said stubbornly.

Naruto had to smile at this. He never heard anyone say anything so bazaar as Lee had just said. He wondered why Lee and Gaara were so tense. 'What has caused this…got any ideas?' Naruto asked, glancing up at Kyuubi questioningly. Kyuubi looked at him with a diabolical smile.

'They probably got into a fight or something pathetic like that. Two guys cannot have a relationship. It's disgusting and if you ever do it I swear I'll…never mind' Kyuubi's rough voice faltered slightly.

'Yeah whatever, I'm going to get down to the core of this…and then maybe they can become friends again if anything' Naruto said determinedly as he came back to reality.

He looked around. Lee had up and left too. Naruto furrowed his brow in determination. He walked back to his locker and undid the combination quickly. He had this locker for three years now.

He stuffed his belongings in the crammed locker. It was filled with three day old lunches, crumpled paper work, a few stale gym shoes. It would be horrifying to anyone. Except Naruto that is.

"So…I hear you're with the snob now. Hah. How pathetic can you get?" Sasuke came up from behind Naruto and gave him a malicious look.

Naruto knew Sasuke was only envious, but Naruto didn't know how far Sasuke would actually go to get Naruto back from what he did to Sasuke.

"Well not exactly. I hung out with him on Saturday, but nothing really happened. We're good friends…I don't know if anything will happen or not. Why do you ask?" Naruto glanced over his shoulder at Sasuke with a smug expression.

Sasuke's brow furrowed in enmity, "I just wanted to see how far you've sank. I mean come on! Neji? That's just disgusting. You're never going to top Me Uzumaki, get over it" Sasuke said wi8th an unpleasant expression.

Naruto brushed it off, but somewhere in the dark chambers, Kyuubi growled for Naruto to watch his every action. Naruto finished throwing his things in the locker and closed the tin door. He pushed the lock up until it clicked, saying that it was locked and no one could access his locker.

He turned around and ran face first into Sasuke. "I thought you left" Naruto said indifferently. He eyed Sasuke wearily, not close to being pleased to see the pale face.

Sasuke glanced down at the floor. "I didn't" He said quietly. Naruto looked at him with an odd glance. "What do you want then?" He asked. Sasuke glared at him. "Nothing" he said grudgingly.

"Oh well" Naruto said as he pushed past the kid gently, walking away from his miserable past. His thoughts travelled back to Gaara and Lee.

What had caused this conflict? Why was Gaara turning back to the way he was in the previous year? How come he was suddenly happy…and then back to being the miserably prick he used to be?

Naruto pressed his mind to this matter for the remaining hours of the day. He wasn't able to complete his work, or even concentrate on his math test. He was sure that this mystery would plague him for next few weeks.

-00-

Gaara shook his head, sprinkling the mirror with drops of warm water. He had just got home from the market from buying himself a dinner. He decided to shake off the chilled feeling from the horrible weather outside.

'It's so bleak..so damn bitter and retarded. I wish Lee was here-' Gaara started saying. Shukaku's fury ascended to Gaara's chakra gates. The pressure on the gates made Gaara double in pain.

'What the hell?! What the hell is your problem you idiot?! Don't yo0u know that hurts?!' Gaara said through clenched teeth.

Shukaku laughed and nodded. 'I know it hurts. But it will only hurt more if you keep harassing yourself with that little idiot Lee' He replied, shaking his head disapprovingly.

Gaara grimaced. He wanted to see Lee so badly but he knew Lee would never forgive him for what he said. He knew he was talking to Shukaku, but what would lee think if Gaara told him that?

"Yeah sorry for being rude yesterday, I wasn't really talking to you. I was talking to the demon that's sealed inside of me. He was ranting on about how we don't belong together and that I should kill you" Gaara had pictured Lee's face if he had said this. He knew for a fact that Lee would punch him in the face and then leave him for death.

"Yeah…that'll surely win the kid back" Gaara said miserably as he rolled his eyes. He wrapped the towel around his waist and headed out of the bathroom.

He was in no hurry to get dry off and get dressed. It was only Wednesday after all. He sighed and poured himself a glass of water. He never drank anything else; he couldn't stand the artificial flavors that were put into the juices .

He walked back into the newly furnished living room. He was happy that he redecorated the room, but now it reminded him of Lee's all white apartment, which now resembled his own.

He sighed and sat down on the single chair and opened one of his recently rented library books. He grabbed his iron rimmed glasses and put them on. He turned the page that he had left the book on and started reading.

Somehow he knew it was going to happen. He knew that someone would show up today and rant to him about Lee. He knew it deep down, but he didn't know who it would be. But it happened. Oh yes…it happened big time.

The door bell rang as Gaara was about to turn the page. He lanced up at the door, his glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose, his hair askew and matted to his forehead. He was wearing his flannel pajamas now and had his dark blue robe on. His leg was crossed of one to support the book, his feet covered with dark blue slippers to match his robe and his pajamas.

"Great" He said bitterly as he got up. The door bell rang again. He furrowed his forehead and pulled the door open. Lee was standing there, drenched to the bone form the horrible weather outside. Gaara had to smile at his pathetic state as of now.

"What do you want?" Gaara asked quietly, his smile dying instantly as he widened the door for Lee to come in out of the rain. Lee gave him a dismayed smile, nothing that was special to anyone else but it mattered so much to Gaara.

"I…I just needed to see you. I wanted to talk to you all day but I was afraid" He said softly, his head bowed but every minute or so he would sneak a glance at Gaara, hopeful that he would forgive him for whatever he did.

Gaara gave an unwavering glance back and walked into the kitchen. He turned the tap and poured another glass of water. "Oh. And what was it that you wanted to talk about?" Gaara asked withy slight curiosity.

Lee cocked his head in confusion. "I don't know. I just wanted to talk to you about anything. I can't stand being away from you. But now that you ask, why did you freak on me like that?"

Gaara glanced down at the table as he set his glass down. He sat down in his frumpy old chair as he looked at lee. He was standing there, dripping onto Gaara's carpet. "Do you want a towel?" He asked flatly. Lee's eyes lightened up. "Yes please" He said cheerfully.

Gaara walked into the bathroom and opened up the bottom cupboard. He grabbed a mauve towel out and tossed it over to Lee. Lee caught it with little effort and started to dry himself off.

"So why did you freak on me?" Lee asked. His voice was muffled by the towel as he rubbed his face and hair into it. His green sweater stuck to his torso like glue to paper.

Gaara furrowed his brow. "I don't know. You get…you get really annoying sometimes and I can't stand you! You irritate me to no end! You try and try to break through my barriers and I don't want you to! You're always pushing and pushing! Like what the hell do you want from me? I'm not strong enough to allow anyone into my life…into my past! You can't just try to make me love you, it won't work!" Gaara just cracked. He was so close to losing it.

Lee looked at him with a strange look. "I can't help how I feel. And it's hard for me to avoid you. Ever since I've gone to this school you've been protecting me. You've been there for the countless of times so many people have backed out. I don't know why I feel this way, and I don't even understand it. I want to break through your barriers so you can be a happier person-"

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO THOUGH" Gaara yelled with frustration. He grabbed a handful of his hair and balled it in his fist. Lee's eyes widened in panic. "Please don't hurt yourself" Lee said lamely.

Gaara let out an angry groan as he sank lower into the chair. "Why did you have to come into my life?" He asked helplessly, looking up at Lee with blank eyes.

Lee shrugged and gave a tiny smile. "Maybe god sent me to you. Maybe I'm like…the one that'll save you from whatever you need to be saved from"

Gaara pondered on this for a moment. He shrugged (he seems to shrug a lot) and let out a low sigh. "I don't know…all I do know is that..is that I can't be with you even if I want to. Which I do" He whispered. He wanted to tell Lee about Shukaku's hunger for murder.

He didn't want Lee to find out about how much Shukaku longed for his blood. And that Shukaku would stop at nothing if he got the chance, to reap upon Lee's flesh and drain all of the blood that remained in his body.

"But…can't we…can we work this out? Isn't there a way to find…this all so stupid" Lee grumbled as he crossed his arms. Gaara found it kind of cute that Lee was pouting.

"Are…no you can't be. You're pouting aren't you?" Gaara asked, a bemused smile across his lips. Lee offered a tiny smile as well. "No…I don't pout. Cool guys like me do not pout"

"I guess you're not a cool guy then because it looks to me that you're certainly pouting" Gaara chimed as he got up. He walked past Lee and went into the kitchen with his empty glass.

He filled his cup again with water and headed back into the living room where Lee was waiting. "Can we please stay together…or stay with what we already have? I mean come on Gaara…nothing can hurt you or me…it's just us two…"

"No. you're wrong." Gaara said softly. He was close to losing his long controlled and restrained temper. He didn't know why, and he knew for sure it wasn't Shukaku, but he wanted to cause Lee pain.

Lee looked at him with disbelief. He shifted on his feet nervously as he read Gaara's body language. He knew that Gaara was upset, but Gaara was an unpredictable person.

"What do you mean?" Lee asked uncertainly. He was chewing on the bottom of his lip so hard that he started to taste blood. He looked at Gaara, waiting for an answer from him.

"I mean…we aren't the only ones….in this relationship" Gaara replied bitterly. He looked forlorn and tired all of a sudden. Lee felt bad for him, he knew about Gaara's demon and the awful past he had.

"Hm? You mean that thing inside of you?" Lee asked with curiosity. Gaara's eyes were blank.

Gaara couldn't believe what he had heard. "It isn't a thing, it's a demon" He said quietly. His voice was faltering…this wasn't a good sign.

Lee smiled, which made Gaara cringe even more because he wanted to swipe that idiotic smile off of his face. He wanted to hurt Lee with all his strength, maybe even kill him. It wasn't Shukaku this time. The old Gaara was returning rapidly.

"I know that but…if it's so malicious and diabolical…then maybe it doesn't even deserve that title" Lee said as he wiped the nape of his neck with the towel. He eyed Gaara with weariness.

Gaara's eyes narrowed into tiny slits of fury. He felt his blood pulsating through his veins, making the anger boil, making Gaara's thawed heart freeze up min cold murderous hate once again. "Get out" He growled through gritted teeth.

Lee's eyes shifted towards the door and then back at Gaara. The oxygen suddenly froze and Lee started to panic. He shifted his weight to his other foot. "But I need to know-"

"GET OUT OF HERE LEE!" Gaara screamed. He was pleading now. He felt Shukaku take over and along with his own anger and Shukaku's the world would succumb to fate.

Lee saw Gaara's eyes darken, the light innocent green turned to blazing yellow. Lee realized that the demon was taking over rapidly. 'He must get like this every time he gets over stressed' Lee thoughtfully assumed.

Lee was about to walk over to Gaara and try to stop the demon from entering his mind but Gaara was far too quick for him. Gaara had already summoned the sand. It wrapped around Lee's chest and legs quickly and tightly.

Lee grimaced as Gaara tightened its hold on Lee. Gaara could feel Lee's bones under pressure, slowly cracking and becoming more brittle. Lee winced and let out a small yelp of pain.

"G-Gaara…Kun..you don't w-want this to happ….to happen. Stop…please s-stop!" Lee's voice was raspy and dry as if he hadn't had any water for the past few weeks. Gaara's eyes were fully black and only yellow was to be seen for his pupils.

Gaara felt the surge of Shukaku's chakra. He could sense Shukaku's presence, waiting for Gaara to order the sand to take Lee's life.

Gaara loved playing with his victims. "Would you like me to splatter your blood on my newly white walls? Would you like to watch as I tear your limbs off one by one?" Gaara offered a malicious smile towards Lee.

Lee grimaced as one of his legs cracked beneath the weight of the sand. "Stop…" he whispered. Gaara's inner voice that was locked away could not hear Lee's cries as he slowly crushed his bones.

Lee felt helpless and trapped as he lay on the floor, his bones being crushed to small bits. He could understand why Gaara wanted him to leave. He understood now why Gaara was so unloved as a child and was now emotionally and mentally unstable

The demon had harassed his every thought and dream he had tried to conjure. Every time he had gotten close to someone, Shukaku would manipulate Gaara. He would somehow make it so that Gaara thought it was _his_ fault no one loved him.

Lee could feel the tears of hatred for Shukaku and tears of pain start to pinch the corners of his eyes. He blinked them back and glared directly at Gaara.

"Go ahead. Kill me. I'm not the one who will have to live with the blood on the walls. Staining the floor and staining your dreams. You're the one that will have to live through your own hatred" Lee said darkly. He thought if Lee played enough mind games, Gaara would stop.

Gaara tightened the hold on Lee. Lee screamed out in pain. "FUCK STOP IT!" Lee writhed beneath the sand. These loud words seemed to reach Gaara.

He already knew he had broken at least three bones, shattering them. His mind started to spin, Shukaku skulking away, back down the dismal chambers of Gaara's unstable mind.

"Lee…" Gaara whispered as he passed out, drained of all physical and mental energy. Lee collapsed on the floor, blood dripping on the carpet from Lee's mouth. Lee panted heavily. His ribs that were already damaged hurt more then ever. "Why does it always have to be me?" he asked himself before he too succumbed to sleep.

The sand recoiled into the gourd, leaving Lee's body on Gaara's white carpet. Blood surrounded Lee's left arm and left leg. The bones had been broken so much that they pierced the flesh on Lee's limbs.

End of chapter four


End file.
